John H. Frohbose

Deacon John H. J. Frohbose

February 23, 1925 – December 17, 2024

John H. J. Frohbose was born February 23, 1925, the oldest child and only son of Ignatius and Mary (Harrison) Frohbose. He was raised in Brooklyn, NY with his four younger sisters.

After John graduated high school, he entered St. Joseph’s Seminary in Holy Trinity, Alabama. He studied with the Missionary Servants until 1946, when it was determined that God had other plans for him.

John left the seminary and joined the US Navy in 1946 and served on the USS William M. Wood and the USS Harwood, as a proud member of the Seabees. While in the Navy, he became friends with another Seabee, who would eventually become one of his brothers-in-law. John was awarded both the Good Conduct Medal and the Medal of Honor.

While John was in the Navy, his parents and sisters moved from Brooklyn to Circleville, NY, where he joined them in 1951. After a brief stint as a bank teller, John applied for a job and became employed by IBM, where he worked from 1952 until 1987. John worked at the main plant in Poughkeepsie for his entire career, although he traveled the world as a Systems Analyst for the company. Thanks to his job, John met and befriended people from every corner of the earth, and he often invited people for dinner, holidays and many family functions, so they would not feel alone when away from their families.

Wherever John went, he would run into people he knew, whether he was sitting on a beach at the Jersey shore or at a museum in Albany, NY. 

Although John never married, he looked upon his twenty-one nieces and nephews as if they were his own children, often vacationing with them and taking them on educational day trips. Those trips became fondly known as “rip-off trips” and would happen several times each summer. 

For many years, John dressed up as St. Nicholas and would visit the local Catholic elementary school, where he would educate the students about St. Nicholas and his kindness and generosity. He would leave the children with chocolate coins covered in gold foil and impress upon them the importance to being kind to others.

A very reverent man, John was often on the altar as a lay minister at St. Paul’s Church in Bullville, NY. On February 11, 1978, John realized his dream of becoming an ordained deacon in the Catholic Church. He was ordained at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC, with several busloads of parishioners from St. Paul’s witnessing the special occasion. 

Since his ordination, he baptized, married and performed funeral rites for many family members and parishioners in the Orange County area and beyond. On Sundays, after Mass, he would visit his shut-ins, bringing them communion and visiting with them for as long as he was able. He was a fixture at St. Paul’s, both on the altar and off, until the COVID pandemic, when it was no longer safe for him to go to church in person.

John touched the lives of so many people, that it is impossible to measure. He was a man who was true to his faith, a confidante to many, a father and grandfather figure, generous, gentle, and saintly. He was known to be a great hugger and a man who loved his Oreos! 

Many people felt that he was a special part of their St. Paul’s experience. Many priests and parishioners had come and gone, but people felt that John was the backbone of this small yet robust parish. His life exemplified what Jesus teaches – To love one another as God has loved you.

John belonged to the Third Order of Carmelites, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Knights of Columbus, and the American Legion. 

John was predeceased by his parents, Ignatius and Mary (Harrison) Frohbose, his sisters Marie Smedes (Robert, deceased), Margaret Forman (John, deceased) and Dolores Townley (John, deceased), as well as a niece and two nephews. He is survived by his sister, Ann Bollmann (John, deceased) of Poughkeepsie, as well as eighteen nieces and nephews, many grand nieces and nephews, and several great-grand nieces and nephews.

A special place was reserved in John’s heart for his baby sister, “Annie”, who would visit him every day to make sure he ate his lunch and to make sure he knew how loved he was, and his niece Maggie Baxter and her husband, George, who became more like his children over the last ten years. They would take him to his doctor’s appointments when he still lived at home, would make sure he could get to the grocery store, and made sure he had enough sweets to get him through the week. “Unkie” had a very special Valentine, grandniece Erin Townley and an Oreo-sharing grandniece, Katie Baxter.

John is further survived by some very special friends who made meals and visited him both at home and at Campbell Hall Nursing and Rehab Facility. Anna (& Ken) Cesca was John’s longtime confidant, Cathy Olsen, Deacon Michael & Mary McCabe, Deacon Carl & Liz Locatelli, Judy & Joe Violante, Patsy Willard and Eucharistic Ministers Hector and Gail who visited John regularly with Communion and prayers. These amazing men and women took time to visit, share food, love and prayers with our amazing brother and uncle.

Whether you knew him as Brother John, Deacon John, Ja, Unkie or just plain John, to know him was to love him. 

We would like to thank the caregivers at Campbell Hall Rehab and Nursing Facility for the love and care they gave to our brother and uncle. You could truly feel the love they had for him.

Visitation will be held at St. Paul’s RC Church in Bullville, NY (2800 NY-17K) on December 26th from 1-3 pm and 5-7 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Paul’s RC Church at 11:30 am on December 27th.

Donations may be made to St. Paul’s RC Church, PO Box 222, Bullville, NY 10915 or to the Wounded Warrior Project.