Dear Kozak Family, we are so sorry for your loss. John was an incredible person and I was lucky enough to be in high school with him and all the boys. Please know our thoughts and prayers are with you .
The Freda Family
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John decided early on that his name was to be Gregory. You see, he had taken a liking to his second cousin, Greg, even carrying Greg's school photo in his pants pocket. John wouldn't even answer to his own name! This lasted for quite a while. I'm not sure how we talked him out of it. But it may have come about when we convinced him to go by Greg's middle name, which is John!
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Dr Appel our heart felt sympathy and condolences goes out to you and family. I pray God gives you His exceptional strength, peace and grace during this difficult time. We love you Dr Appel and again so sorry for your loss.🙏❤️
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Dr. Appel my heart is so broken for you and your family at the loss of your beloved John. May God put his arms around your family and always cherish the wonderful memories.God bless you and your family.
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Dr Appel, our hearts are broken for you. Please know that Gary and I and our prayer warrior friends are praying for you and your family. I am praying to Our Blessed Mother that she obtain for you all the graces she had to stand at the foot of the Cross. May God bless you and keep you in His tender care. With love, Gary and Marie Pelletier
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No words to describe my sadness over John’s untimely passing. He was a joy to coach on the basketball court; his energy and joy were a true force of nature! Sending strength and love to David and the entire Kozak family.
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You are in our hearts as we pray for comfort and healing. We love you so very much.
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John was a treasure to all who knew him, and touched so many in his truth seeking and compassionate driven adventures. He will be missed.
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To John's family:
I am so sorry for this heartbreaking loss. John was so sincere and guileless. I know he is at peace with God for all eternity.
John spent a week here at Holy Family in West Hartford this past June and we had some deep talks. His heart was big and his kindness was abundant.
May your hearts heal from this deep sadness knowing that John is now at peace.
Fr. David Cinquegrani, C.P. at Holy Family Retreat Center
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2022, National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, MA, Prospect Hill Road, Stockbridge, MA, USA
John with friends from C4C. From Glenn Tapawan
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To the entire Kozak family, I am so sorry for the loss of John. You are deep in my prayers.
John was a remarkable friend of mine and a dedicated weekly member of the Crossroads 4 Christ community where I often interacted with him the most. I was blessed to be in his small group nearly every week and I always enjoyed his contributions to the discussion. I also knew him at Holy Apostles in Cromwell where he studied philosophy and theology. We often would sit together at lunch. John often liked to talk about his love of prayer, especially meditative prayer and praying the rosary. He often invited me to pray with him.
On the Monday prior to his passing, John had reached out to me and told me that he had been accepted into St. Thomas Aquinas College in California and that he would be leaving to go there that Wednesday. He had then invited me to pray a rosary with him over the phone that same evening. When we finished praying the Joyful Mysteries together, John had told me how special the Crossroads community has been to him and the ways in which he felt understood and loved. He told me that he felt Christ’s love and presence in a way he had not before which gave him confidence in beginning this next chapter of his journey of faith and study. The following day John attended what would be his last meeting at Crossroads and in our small group he expressed the ways in which he felt God was good to him and was blessing his life. In this last conversation I had with John, I had asked him to pray for me and the Crossroads 4 Christ community during his time away in study to which he gracefully responded in his warm and gentle voice, “Yes, I definitely will!”
John’s life was a true testament of what it means to persevere in faith, hope, and love no matter the challenges and obstacles we face. His unceasing love and kindness is also a testament to what it means to be a true and genuine friend in Christ. His life and his virtues are the example of the life that I aspire to live.
John will forever be engraved in the depths of our hearts and his memory shall always remind us of the ways in which we are loved by God and can be a sign of his love to others!
May the soul of beloved John now Rest In Peace.
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I'm so sorry, Dr. Appel, for your unimaginable loss. My heartfelt sympathy to you and your family,
Gloria Long
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I didn’t know John well as I was a grade above him at Hall, but he was my teammate on the cross country team my senior year and in one of my classes. I was very saddened to hear about John’s loss and have memories of him in the post-run stretching circle after a cross country practice. Thinking of all those affected by this loss and may John’s memory be a blessing.
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Can’t believe I’m putting this into words but John was a special friend to me. Although we had become adrift due to location, career paths, and life’s circumstances, I had always cherished the memories John and I shared. Whether that was playing basketball after school until nightfall in his driveway basketball hoop, adventuring in the hublein woods, or playing video games in his/my basement, his memory lives on through me and I am a better person today than if John and I had never crossed paths. We will all miss you John and may you rest in peace!
- Gus Murchie
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Thanks for the beautiful memories John! I spent this evening talking about the good times we spent with Miles, Gus, Joe, and Aidan.
In 6th and 7th grade at KP, John was one of my best (and only) friends. I vividly remember one of the hardest times I ever laughed was at John’s wisecracks on a quest field trip. I also spent my first sleepover (and all nighter) in the Kosak basement for John’s birthday where we secretly watched Ted.
John was also a force to be reckoned with in backyard basketball. He was a great shooter, very quick, and a fierce competitor. He did not like to lose.
John was a brilliant guy. I always knew he was an extremely strong STEM student. Senior year, however, I took an English class with him (called “Voices”) and I was awed by his writing prowess.
Thank you for the memories John ❤️ We miss you.
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May the soul of John rest in the peace of Jesus Christ and may all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.
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