John Blevins

John Blevins, a resident of North Arlington, NJ passed away on Sunday, February 23, 2020. John was 48 years old and died peacefully in his sleep.

The funeral will be from the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, NJ on Saturday, February 29 at 10:00 a.m. A Funeral Mass will be offered in Queen of Peace Church, North Arlington at 11:00 a.m. Cremation will be private. Relatives and friends are invited to visit at the funeral home on Friday, February 28 from 4 to 8 p.m.

Born on May 15, 1971, in Belleville NJ to parents Nancy and Lonnie Blevins, He graduated from Kearny high school in 1989 and went on the receive a BA in Media Arts from New Jersey City University.  John grew up in Kearny, NJ and later moved to North Arlington in 2005.  

John was employed by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA). He worked with both the New York Giants and Jets football teams for over 20 years. John also worked for Red Bull Arena. He never missed a game. In addition, John also worked for the Kearny Board of Education. He was an avid sports fan and loved the New York Giants, the Oakland Raiders and the Yankees. He spent countless hours discussing sports with family, friends and especially his son.

John was also passionate about music. He was the lead singer in his high school rock band Short Circuit. The band reached impressive levels many years after school opening for 38-Special and the Marshall Tucker Band. John enjoyed playing gigs for many years throughout New York and New Jersey.  In addition to singing, John also enjoyed playing the guitar. 

He touched the lives of many children in the community as a coach and a mentor. He coached baseball in Kearny for many years in his early 20’s as well as soccer and basketball for his son in North Arlington. The kids enjoyed his pre-game motivational speeches sending the young athletes out to the field feeling inspired, excited and confident.

John also liked spending time at his family’s beach house in South Jersey. He enjoyed swimming, jet-skiing, and boating in the Summer with his kids, nephews and his niece.  He loved the ocean and visited the beach frequently.

John is survived by his wife, Lorraine (Gilmartin) Blevins, as well as his two children Sean and Brooke.

His Parents Nancy (Finelli) Blevins and the late Lonnie Blevins.  His brothers, William and Steven. His Sisters-in-Law Sharyne and Renee Blevins. His Brother-in-Law Ian Gilmartin and Ian’s partner Renata Helstoski. His Nieces Blair Blevins and Ella Gilmartin.  His Nephews, Billy, Zachary, Gregg, Christopher, and Brendan Blevins as well as Patrick Gilmartin.