11/21/2022

Obituary for John J. Gluvna

Former Owner of Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel

John J. Gluvna, 83, of Lorain, passed away peacefully and with his family by his side on Friday November 18, 2022 after a lengthy illness.

He was born June 27, 1939 in Lorain and had been a lifelong Lorain resident.

John graduated from Lorain High School in the 1957 B Class, attended Case Western Reserve University for his undergraduate studies, then graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. After successfully passing his state board exams, John became an Ohio licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer and joined the family business becoming the 3^rd generation in business that was begun by his grandfather John J. Gluvna in 1912.

John worked alongside his father Joseph J. Gluvna for many years and in 1959 designed and built the current funeral chapel in Lorain with his father-in-law Joseph DiSimone. He continued serving families in the community until 1998 when he sold the business to his employees and then continued to work as a consultant until fully retiring in 2000.    

John was very active in the community having served on the board of directors of First Federal Savings in Lorain, board member and past president of the Lorain City Health Department and member and past president of the American Slovak Club. He was a member of the former Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lorain where he had served on parish council and was a member of the Holy Name Society. His family was one of the charter members of Holy Trinity as the original funeral home was located just north of the church. He was a current member of St Joseph Catholic Church in Amherst. 

John enjoyed reading, gardening, horse racing, gambling, traveling with friends and playing golf and even had a hole-in-one once.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years Germaine Gluvna (nee DiSimone), children:  Judy Gluvna, Joanne Godlewski (Dan), Jack Gluvna and Janice O’Connor (John); 7 grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren; sister Joan Gluvna and brother Joseph J. Gluvna Jr (Linda). He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph & Anna Gluvna (nee Homola), uncle Rev Father William Homola and sister-in-law Bernie Gluvna.

The family will receive friends Monday November 21, 2022 from 2:00-6:00 pm at the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, 3224 Broadway, Lorain. Additional visiting will be Tuesday November 22, 2022 from 10:30 am until the time of the mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am at St Joseph Catholic Church, 200 St Joseph Dr, Amherst. The Rev Timothy O’Connor, pastor, will preside.  Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery in Lorain.

Memorial contributions can be made to Second Harvest Food Bank, 5510 Baumhart Rd, Lorain, OH. 44053 or the Salvation Army, 2506 Broadway, Lorain, OH. 44052.

Online condolences can be made at www.gluvnashimohromada.com.