Obituary of John M. Zagrobelny

John M. Zagrobelny, 64, died February 6, 2007. He was born October 21, 1942 in Riverhead, Long Island, NY. He moved his family from New York to North Port in 1987. John was a retired pharmacist and co-owned The Old World Restaurant. John founded the local Muscular Dystrophy Association and was honored by the city, chamber of commerce and community for his work. He was the 1994 Citizen of the Year in North Port, and in 1995 the access road near the restaurant was renamed by the city Zagrobelny Way in his honor. In 1995, he was named as the community’s Small Business Person of the Year. In 1996 he was awarded Florida’s Small Business Person of the Year. He sponsored North Port Area Little League for 17 years, was a member of the Friends of the North Port Area Library, solidified and finalized the denotation of land by the Atlantic Gulf Community to the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce for their own building, was re-elected Chair of North Port’s Tamiami Appearance Review Board, founded B.L.O.A.T.T. – Business & Landowners Association Review Board, was elected to Who’s Who Worldwide Registry of Global Business Leaders, and was president of the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce in 1991. John is survived by his wife Christine of North Port; daughter Diane & Steven Visnaw of Brooksville, FL; granddaughters Ashley & Melissa. Visitation will be held on Friday, February 9th from 6-8PM with a prayer service at 7PM at Farley Funeral Home North Port Chapel. Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, February 10th, 11:30 AM at San Pedro Catholic Church, North Port, FL