APRIL 24, 1934 – DECEMBER 24, 2023
John Martin Gromek, 89, of Fort Collins, Colorado, passed away on December 24, 2023, surrounded by his loving family.
John was born to John and Olive (Murphy) Gromek on April 24, 1934, in Elizabeth, NJ. John married Alice Ann Walsh on September 28, 1957, in New York City, NY. They went on to have seven children, 13 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren. John adored Alice and their love story spanned more than 53 amazing years.
John instilled honor and a strong work ethic to all his children and was an influential mentor to them throughout his life. John was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was a true leader in business and in everything he did.
John graduated Xavier High School in Louisville, KY, 1952, and earned an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1956. He went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of New Mexico.
Upon graduation from West Point, John qualified as a fighter pilot and he served in the Air Force for 20 years. John’s career military milestones included an assignment at NASA in 1969 where he worked on the first moon shot, Apollo 11; teaching aeronautical engineering at the United States Air Force Academy; serving as weapons officer on Airborne Laser Lab at Kirkland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, NM; and, finally retiring as Lt. Colonel in 1976.
John went on to become the Director of the Advanced Photo Chemistry Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory; developed laser interferometry as the Managing Director of the Rocketdyne site in Albuquerque, NM, as well as the leader of the Haleakala Observatory on the island of Maui, HI. In addition to his lengthy career in the aerospace industry, he was chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission for Los Alamos County, NM.
John enjoyed many hobbies, including amateur photography, sports cars and driving fast, boating, and basking in the sun by the pool. He relished vacationing and traveling with Alice, especially to Maui, the mountains, and abroad to Ireland, Prague, and Budapest. He enjoyed camping with his family and loved to drive whether it was coast-to-coast or north-to-south.
John will be dearly remembered for his devotion to family, high intellect, dry sense of humor and his photographic memory.
John is preceded in death by his wife Alice Ann Gromek, his son, John Morgan Gromek, his sister, Roberta Dasto, and his parents.
John is survived by six children, Stacey (Rey) Lopez of Fort Collins, CO, Chris (Nancy) Gromek of Gilbert, AZ, Mark (Jill) Gromek of Cumming, GA, Michael Gromek, Sr., of Albuquerque, NM, Robert (Monica) Gromek of Richland, WA, Matthew (Stephanie) Gromek of Lancaster, PA; a widowed daughter-in-law Kathy Conroy of Las Vegas, NV; 13 grandchildren, Elizabeth (Rick) Everett of Lincoln, NE, Alexandra Lopez of Denver, CO, John-Reynold (Katie) Lopez of Chicago, IL, Crystal Gromek of Mesa, AZ, Ethan Gromek of Mesa, AZ, Samantha Boloz of Grafton, MA, Hannah Willy of Pooler, GA, Michael Gromek, Jr., of Santa Fe, NM, Sara (Chad) Hannickel of Richland, WA, Mary (Stephanie) Gromek-Alonzo of Norfolk, VA, Ryan (Margaret) Gromek of Amarillo, TX, Conor Gromek of Richland, WA, Sophia Gromek of Lancaster, PA, Kattleya Conroy of Las Vegas, NV; and 6 great-grandchildren Harper and Caroline Everett of Lincoln, NE, Zoey and Wyatt Hannickel of Richland, WA, Riley Gromek of Los Alamos, NM, and Scarlett Gromek of Amarillo, TX.
Arrangements entrusted to Resthaven Memory Gardens Funeral & Cremation
