Professor Lazar

John Lazar was born on March 20, 1936 in Viișoara, Romania. He grew up in the harsh and battered environment of World War II Europe, with his father, grandmother, stepmother, six stepsisters, and one stepbrother all sharing a two-room house.

He studied diligently as a child and worked hard to become an accomplished pianist and organist, as well as a master of the accordion. At 17 he graduated from high school and joined the Romanian Air Force, where he served for three years as a pilot.

After his service he enrolled at the Gheorghe Dima Conservatory of Music in Cluj-Napoca. There he completed his Master of Fine Arts and became a Professor of Theory and Harmony at the Institutul Pedagogic in Constanța, Romania.

In 1969 he defected to the United States and settled in Canton, Ohio, where he was sponsored by the local Romanian Orthodox Church. Through the church he met his future wife Stella, and they were married in 1971, remaining together until his death.

For the remainder of his life he was active in music, teaching, performance, and production. He worked for Baldwin Piano and Organ Company in New York City throughout the 1980s, and relocated to Florida in 1990 where he started a career as a real estate broker.

Throughout that time he was also a good and noble husband, father, grandfather, and friend to everyone who met him. He was an extraordinary talent and outstanding entertainer.

John Lazar died early in the morning on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at his home, peacefully in his sleep. He is survived by his wife Stella, his two sons John and Adrian, and four granddaughters — Lily, Leah, Ava and Olivia. His family loves him and will miss him very much.

He is in God's hands now.