John Edward ‘Oriz’ Oristian, ‘Johnnie–O’ or simply ‘O-man’ (as he was so fondly known), was born on January 14, 1947 in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC, the third child in a strong Catholic family with Ukrainian roots. He lost his mother to cancer when he was three, and, upon his father’s remarriage, John gained two more half-brothers. At Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Wheaton, MD, John was president of the Class of 1965, captain of the football team, and winner of the coveted Brother Mark Leadership Award.

At an early age, John developed an interest in electronics and, as an adolescent, was known for his tinkering with radios and televisions. It was this passion for electronics, combined with the encouragement and example of his maternal grandfather, Colonel Charles F. Baish, USMA Class of June 1918, that led John to seek an appointment to West Point, entering the Academy on July 1, 1965 with the Class of 1969. Unfortunately, his grandfather did not live to see John graduate, as he passed away in August 1968.

Throughout his four years as a cadet, John’s charisma, irrepressible good humor, and frequent antics—to include, as a First Classman, keeping a pet rabbit—coupled with high academic standing and natural athletic prowess, made him a standout leader. From his earliest days at West Point through graduation, Oriz’s enduring philosophy was that humor always conquers adversity. John’s Beast roommates recall that at the end of each arduous day he always found something to laugh about. That same perspective and positive outlook stayed with him all the subsequent years of his life. He was a hop manager and served as both the player–coach and the captain of the B-squad Football Team. Reflecting his classmates high regard for him, John became G-2’s cadet captain and its honor rep. He reflected and upheld West Point’s values and high ideals of duty, honor, service to country and community throughout his life.

Commissioned in the Signal Corps, John’s life became complete with his marriage to Joan ‘Joni’ Cassidy. He met Joni, an Army nurse, at Walter Reed, and they married at St. Andrew’s in Sierra Vista, AZ in December 1969. He was warmly embraced by the large Cassidy clan and the Arizona climate. Joni and John became quite a team, serving in Vietnam together and then returning to start a family and pursue his master’s in electrical engineering at Stanford University in California. Following an assignment as a Juice P in the mid-seventies, John enjoyed a follow-on tour in Germany, 1979–81, as a signaleer at Spangdahlem supporting the 11nd Air Defense Brigade and attended Command and General Staff College, but his passion remained teaching and electronics. After returning to Stanford to complete a docturate in electrical engineering, John became a member of the permanent faculty at West Point in 1985. John loved teaching and inspiring the young men and women who shared his passion for “Juice.” In addition to the cadets he taught, he touched many lives through youth ministry at Most Holy Trinity parish. Most importantly, he was a loving and involved father to his and Joni’s accomplished children: Mike, Katie, Tom, and Beth. A good day was one that ended with throwing the football to his kids and any neighborhood groupies!

The challenge of John’s life occurred in 1993 with the discovery of an Agent Orange-related brain tumor, which left him with deficits in visual processing. He was medically retired from the Army that same year as a colonel. The family returned to California, and John began a second career as a consultant for the state government in Sacramento, overcoming the challenges of his condition. Unfortunately, the tumor continued to recur resulting in a succession of surgeries that further compromised his vision and mobility. In 2005, the family subsequently relocated to Surprise, AZ, a fast-growing Phoenix suburb, where John’s indomitable courage and bocce skills were amazement to all.

A vaunted warrior in the struggle for life, John faced many daunting obstacles, but he never ceased learning or the pursuit of knowledge. His insurmountably positive outlook never succumbed to his limitations, striving instead to overcome them with technology and the loving support of his family. He fought through his debilitating challenges and remained a loving and adventurous husband to Joni and a thoughtful and inspiring sage to his four children, complaining so little about his ailments that it was difficult for those around him to appreciate or even be cognizant of the full extent of his deficiencies. Although he experienced difficulty with facial recognition, as soon as John heard a familiar name, he would pick up the conversation as though they had just seen one another the day before.

Those around John in his last years regarded him as a tower of strength. When the tumor metastasized to his liver in October 2008, he created a cyber community on CaringBridge that touched many lives and through which he drew strength. In his waning months, John maintained his sense of humor, bondless love for his family, and remained true to the ideals that shaped his life. Thus, he bravely embraced the end of life, drawing his family to him, which now included Alexis Ross, Tom’s wife, and Eric Palacios, husband to Katie. Loving husband and father, on May 5, 2009, John released his burden with his family at his side and entered the greater community in heaven.

Johnnie-O always took pride in his “B-squad” roots, but he was thoroughly “A-squad” in the eyes of his classmates and family. Closing ranks around John and his family, classmates provided the guard of honor at his funeral at the Sierra Vista Veterans Memorial Cemetery in May 2009. To us, he will forever be remembered as a great man, a tremendous role model, and a cherished friend.

— Joni Oristian and classmates