John was born Aug. 3, 1928, in Oneida, New York, the son of William J. and Eva Jaeger Seybold. He was a graduate of Verona High School and Empire State College of Syracuse University.
He entered the U.S. Army immediately after high school, and served from June 1946 to December 1947. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and was discharged as a technician fifth grade.
He married Jean Tully on June 3, 1950, in Verona Presbyterian Church with Rev. Samuel Southern officiating and a reception at Trinkaus Manor in Oriskany, New York. They built their home and raised their two children on Main Street in Verona.
Employed by the state of New York, John served as hospital administrator for Syracuse Psychiatric Hospital and Rome Developmental Center, retiring in 1983. He was a member of Verona Kiwanis Club, and served as an elder in Verona Presbyterian Church.
Active in his community, he was a lifelong member of the Verona Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as treasurer for many years. When the fire department needed a new home, he worked with fellow firefighter Marvin Bentley to supervise the building of a new firehouse.
John’s favorite occupation was being “Opa,” German for “grandfather,” to his five grandchildren. He shared many hobbies with them, including building a model railroad and collecting U.S. coins and Hess model firetrucks. He was a frequent spectator at their baseball games, tennis matches, cross country meets and music theater productions.
John was a gardener and a tinkerer. He could make anything grow anywhere he wanted, often against printed growing instructions. His daughter says, “He is the only person I know who thought outside of the box 95 percent of the time.” He was one of the first on Verona’s Main Street to own a home computer, a Mac, and was not intimidated with the ever-changing technology through the years.
He is survived by: his wife, Jean Tully Seybold of Arundel; a daughter, Beth Seybold Strassler and her husband Dr. David Strassler of Arundel; a son, William J. Seybold and his wife Audrey of Rochester, New York; two sisters, Eunice Moot and her husband Bud of Mexico, New York, and Helen May Koniszewki of New Hartford, New York; a brother, Grover Jaeler of Massamutten, Virginia; and five grandchildren, Joseph, Andrew and Sarah Strassler, and John and Wyatt Seybold.
John’s family would like to thank Dr. Ross Wadland, Dr. Ronald Mosiello, Dr. Joseph Kenneally, Dr. Paul Meadows and the late Dr. Robert Fernandez and their office staff for their excellent care. They are also appreciative of the compassionate care provided by the staff of Hospice of Southern Maine and Gosnell Memorial Hospice House.
Visiting hours will be 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, at Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 14, at Bibber. Interment will follow in Arundel Cemetery, Kennebunkport.
Should friends choose, memorial donations may be made to: Verona Fire Dept., 5555 Volunteer Drive, Verona, NY 13478; Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 U.S. Route 1, Scarborough, ME 04074; or Gosnell House, 11 Hunnewell Road, Scarborough, ME 04074.
Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel. To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit John’s Book of Memories Page at bibberfuneral.com.
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