KALEBA, John Jacob
Loving Father
Passed away peacefully on April 4, 2023, surrounded by his family and loved ones. John was known for his extraordinary ability to connect with others. Simply put: If you spent time with John, you felt good. Those who knew John best, knew that this was no accident. Every day, John made himself present for the people in his life. He welcomed those around him with open arms, a warm smile, and an infectious laugh. He asked questions and listened carefully. He shared stories. He was unfailingly kind. He made the people he cared for feel included, appreciated, understood, and seen. And there were so many people he cared for.
John Kaleba was born on December 24, 1973 in Winfield, Illinois, to Richard and Kathleen (McCormick) Kaleba. He grew up in Davenport, Iowa, and was one of five brothers, including Matt, Nick, Dave, and Dan, John’s identical twin brother. He spent many holidays and vacations on road trips in his family’s Volkswagen van and cherished Christmas in Chicago, and summers at Holden Beach. John spent his teenage years in Bradenton, Florida and Rome,
New York and worked as a lifeguard at Camp Nazareth in the Adirondack Mountains.
He graduated from SUNY Geneseo. A highlight of his college experience was studying at the University of Oxford, with his brother Dan, and exploring Europe together. He later studied at Tulane University Law School. There he grew to love the culture of New Orleans, a city he would return to often.
After law school, John moved to Washington, D.C., to serve as a trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice. While attending a friend’s wedding, he met Mary
Cristin Flynn. John and Mary Cris became engaged and moved to Oak Park, Illinois. John worked as senior counsel for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Chicago and Boston. Following his public service career, he joined Matrix
Capital Management where he worked as Senior Managing Director and General Counsel. Throughout his career, John’s skill and diligence as an attorney earned him distinctions. The achievements that best defined his career, however, wouldn’t appear on a resume. John felt his professional achievement came from earning the respect and trust of peers and making those around him better. They came from actively promoting camaraderie and working to shape the careers of others as a mentor and friend. He treated his colleagues as friends; his friends as family; and put family above all.
John treasured his family - his wife, Mary Cristin; and their children, Danny, Jude, Ryan and Nora Rose. If there was a sport, an activity, a movie, or a meal that one of the children loved, John was all in. He loved watching anything “Star Wars” with Danny and Jude and he astounded them at every turn with his knowledge. He sang along to favorite movies with Nora Rose especially when they watched “The Sound of Music” every year. He traded player statistics with Ryan while they watched any and every football and basketball game they could find together. He attended each school play and coached flag football and basketball teams, making every child feel included and important. He took all four children for rides in their favorite red jeep to get ice cream and play hide-and-seek. He passed his love of cooking on, teaching his children how to make some of their favorite foods including chicken wings, pizza, lamb chops and chicken noodle soup.
John and Mary Cris shared a love of the water and spent summer weeks at the beaches of New Jersey and North Carolina with the children and their cousins. Along with cooking, John loved music, history, and hosting gatherings with family and friends.
John was a born optimist - an outlook he honed as a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. He fought with unimaginable strength, against the odds, and surpassed every expectation. In his final months, John was inspired and comforted by the quote, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”
He will be lovingly remembered by all the lucky people who were his why, especially his wife Mary Cristin; children, Danny, Jude, Ryan and
Nora Rose; his parents, Richard and Kathleen; his brothers, Matt, Dan, Nick and Dave; as well as dozens of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He leaves this world a more caring, just, and better place.
A Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 12 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 1305 Highland Ave., NEEDHAM. A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, April 13 at 11 a.m. in St. Joseph’s Church, 1382 Highland Ave., Needham. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Interment private.
Donations in John’s honor can be made to the Sarcoma Foundation of America at curesarcoma.org/johnjacob-kaleba
Online guestbook at gfdoherty.com