John Anthony Campanella was born in the Bronx on August 7, 1936. His parents were Joseph Campanella and Antoinette DeSimone Campanella Leggire. The family owned and operated JO Ann’s restaurant in Beekman, NY from 1956 to 1972.

He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from New Paltz State University in 1959. In 1965, he received his Master of Science with a major in Administration.

John started his career in the Wappingers Central School District. From 1959-1963, he taught fourth and sixth grade at Vassar Road Elementary. In 1964, he was assistant principal of Evans Elementary School. In 1965, he was co-coordinator of Education at Gayhead Elementary School and in 1967, became assistant principal. He was principal at Sheafe Road School in 1968 and stayed there until 1988. In the latter part of 1988, he was principal of Gayhead Elementary School until he retired in 1992.

After retiring from Wappingers Central School District, John was interim principal at the Arlington High School in the Arlington Central School District and the Red Hook High School in Red Hook, NY. He was a Region 4 Representative for SAANYS from 1993-2000. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Italian Center. When he was not educating children, John worked as a driver for the Van Vlack Cleaners. 

Surviving at home is his wife, Sue Lawrence Campanella; 4 sons: John J. Campanella and his wife, Tammy, of Hyde Park, NY, Joseph M. Campanella and his wife, Janet, of Clifton Park, NY, Darrin P. Lawrence and his wife, Tracy, of Oak Ridge, TN, and Steven A. Lawrence and his wife, Louise, of Gastonia, NC. 

His love for his grandchildren gave him many happy moments and brought smiles of joy to his face. They are Nicholas Campanella, Courtney Fisher, Blake Campanella, John Michael Campanella, Anthony Lawrence, Rebecca Campanella, Zachary Lawrence, Xander Lawrence, Kyra Lawrence, Dylan Fisher and a special friend, Ayisha Webster. His great grandchildren: Lyla, Axel and Levi Lawrence, Iyla and Gretta Campanella, and Elijah Fisher.

Family will receive their friends on Thursday, March 5, 2026 from 2 to 6 pm at Straub, Catalano & Halvey Funeral Home, 55 E. Main Street, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Friday, March 6, 2026 at 10 am at St. Mary’s Church, 11 Clinton Street in Wappingers Falls. Entombment will follow in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, Poughkeepsie.

In keeping with his career and his love of children, the family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie (childrenshome.us) and Glaucoma Research (glaucoma.org).

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