Obituary: John D. Vanacore, Sr. (Porto Funeral Homes)

John D. Vanacore, Sr., 84, of Hamden, formerly of East Haven, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 26, 2026, to be reunited with his beloved wife of 63 years Helen, who predeceased him just recently. Born in New Haven, on December 5, 1941, to the late Thomas and Theresa (Sorbo) Vanacore, John was a man defined by his service, his precision, and his deep love for his family. He was the devoted father of John D. Vanacore, Jr. (Jhenny) of Hamden, Debra Panela (Joseph) of East Haven, and Robert Vanacore (Jennifer) of East Haddam. He will be fondly remembered by his nine grandchildren—Robert, Courtney, Joey, Michael, Jake, Eva, Sergio, Oscar, and Camila—and his six great-grandchildren—Logan, Leo, Mia, Zoe, Elijah, and Eliseo. He is also survived by his brother, Joseph Vanacore (Estelle), along with many other beloved nephews & nieces, and was predeceased by his siblings, Thomas and Rosalie. An Air Force Veteran who served during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He later dedicated many years as an inspector for Pratt & Whitney, then Preferred Manufacturing and High Precision prior to retiring. Outside of work, John was a gifted woodworker and “Jack of all trades”. His legacy lives on, in the handmade doll houses, cars, horse swings, wooden animals and barns he handcrafted for his grandchildren. Whether he was arriving “hammer in hand” to help his children with a home remodel or experimenting with a new recipe in the kitchen – his holiday pies were legendary – John was always providing for those he loves. He found great joy in fishing, crabbing, and trips to the casino with his wife, but his greatest adoration was reserved for his grandchildren. His presence will be greatly missed by all those who knew him.

Family and friends are invited to a PARLOR SERVICE Tuesday morning, May 5, 2026, at 11:00 in the PORTO FUNERAL HOME, 234 Foxon Rd. (Rte. 80), East Haven. Inurnment will follow in All Saints Cemetery. Friends may call TUESDAY MORNING from 9:00 until time of Service. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to Tunnel to Towers Foundation (t2t.org/) or Spotty Dog Rescue spottydogrescue.org/donate to honor all of the dogs the Vanacore family has had, including his beloved fur-baby Penny. Sign John’s guest book online at www.portofuneralhomes.net.