John D. Pogorelec, Sr.

John D. Pogorelec, Sr. (83) of Clifton, NJ, passed away on February 21, 2026.

Born in Passaic, John grew up in Garfield and Clifton and was the son of Albert and Anna Pogorelec. He graduated from Pope Pius XII High School in Passaic in 1960 and Seton Hall University in 1964.  John received his law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1967.  

During law school, John married Phyllis (Iannacone), his wife of over 60 years, and later moved back to New Jersey to begin his legal career.  John and Phyllis settled in Clifton to raise their family.  

John was an expert in trust and estates, real estate, and elder law, helping his clients – many of whom were from the surrounding Slovak and Polish communities – navigate important stages of their lives.  John served Clifton as legal counsel for several governing bodies, including as assistant attorney for the city and attorney for Clifton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment and Planning Board.  John represented Clifton for over 50 years during a tremendous period of growth.  John advocated for his clients vigorously, but always with compassion and empathy.

For over 40 years, John served in prominent roles both locally and nationally in the Slovak community, notably as the General Counsel for the Slovak Catholic Sokol (SCS), a fraternal life insurance and benefit society for Slovaks in the United States.  He also was president of the local and state chapters of the organization.  Through his work at the SCS, John assumed leadership roles in the Association of Fraternal Benefit Counsel and the National Fraternal Congress of America (now the American Fraternal Alliance) – umbrella groups serving fraternal orders – and he was elected as president of both organizations.  John enjoyed giving back to the SCS and helping to maintain Slovak culture in the United States.

Active in community life, John served as president of the parish council and Holy Name Society of the S.S. Cyril & Methodius Roman Catholic Church, where he was a parishioner his entire life.  He also was president of the Kiwanis Club of Clifton, a member of the local Knights of Columbus council, and served as attorney for the Preakness Healthcare Center in Wayne.  John was appointed by the governor of New Jersey to sit on the Ethnic Advisory Council, Health Care Facilities Financing Authority, and the Health Care Administration Board during the late 1970s and 1980s.  He was actively involved in Passaic County’s political life, serving as a member of Clifton’s Democratic Club for many years.

John’s joy in life was his family:  his beloved wife Phyllis; his children – John D. Pogorelec, Jr., Esq., Pamela and her husband Robert C. Hess, Esq., Jason P. Pogorelec, Esq., and his wife Alexandra; and his cherished grandchildren – Ashley, Brooke, and Rebecca Hess and Suzanne and Thomas Pogorelec.  One of his favorite activities was spending time with his family at his shore home in Mantoloking, where he enjoyed deep-sea fishing, boating, and long walks on the beach.  

John is survived by his brother Steven Pogorelec and his wife Anne, his brother Eugene Pogorelec, D.O., his sister-in-law Michele Pogorelec, his sister-in-law Sharon Iannacone, and many nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his brother Albert Pogorelec and his wife Elizabeth, his brother Emil Pogorelec, D.O., and his brother-in-law Allan Iannacone, Esq.

The family would like to acknowledge and thank John’s surgeon, Dr. Mutahar Ahmed, for the kindness and compassion shown to John and his family. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., at S.S. Cyril & Methodius Roman Catholic Church, 225 Ackerman Avenue, in Clifton. Please meet directly at the church. A private burial service will follow the Mass. 

Visitation hours will take place at Bizub-Quinlan Funeral Home, 1313 Van Houten Avenue, in Clifton on Friday, February 27, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.  Please visit www.bizubquinlan.com to leave condolences to the family on the Tribute Wall section of the online obituary.