John Alan LoPresti

John Alan LoPresti passed away on December 12, 2025, from heart failure. He was born on April 21, 1943, in Rochester, New York, to Angela and Philip LoPresti.

John was raised in Rochester and graduated from John Marshall High School in 1963. Known in his youth for his energy, charisma, and creativity, he sang with the Marshall Singers choir—an early expression of his lifelong devotion to music. Even as a teenager, he was an avid jazz enthusiast, attending performances by legendary musicians at Rochester-area clubs such as the Pythodd Room.

In 1964, John married Belva Lorraine Snitchler. They had four children: Denise Lorraine LoPresti, Laura Lorraine LoPresti, John Mark LoPresti, and Anna Lorraine LoPresti.

John was of Italian descent on both sides of his family and took great pride in his heritage. He felt a deep connection to his father, Philip Ignacio LoPresti, who was born in Valguarnera Caropepe, Sicily, and immigrated to the United States as a child. An RPI-educated electrical engineer, Philip died prematurely when John was a teenager—an experience that deeply shaped him. Inspired by his father’s legacy, John completed a four-year apprenticeship, became an electrician in 1970, and earned his Master Electrician license in 1976, working throughout Rochester and New England.

In 1974, John purchased a historic brick home in Rochester’s threatened Corn Hill neighborhood. Encouraged by neighbors Tim and Annerose Sullivan, he advanced the preservation efforts already underway, serving as president of the Corn Hill Neighbors Association and helping promote the Corn Hill Arts Festival. It became one of his proudest accomplishments—one he cherished throughout his life and honored with a final visit to the neighborhood with all of his children just months before his passing.

In 1978 when New York was facing economic decline, John relocated to Washington State with his second wife and four children from previous marriages. There, he continued his career as a master electrician, contributing to major projects including the Satsop Nuclear Power Plant, the Museum of Pop Culture, and numerous Seattle skyscrapers.

John was also an early, avid computer enthusiast. He had a very early model PC in the late 70's which he tinkered with and on which his kids played Pong and a primitive game called Star Trek. John would later go on to start a business called Axiom Computers, building computers for state agencies and individuals. He also wrote a weekly column for The Olympian newspaper called "Computer Talk" about computers and the industry at large.

Creativity remained central to John’s life. He was a painter working primarily in acrylics, exhibiting his work with Seattle-area art collectives. He was a musician who played bass and keyboards, a gifted singer with the Seattle Choral Company, later performed as a 19th-century Christmas caroler, and at many open-mic nights around Seattle including Eagan's Ballard. John also pursued acting as a SAG performer, appearing in film, television, and theater. His credits included a speaking role in Prefontaine, local commercials—including one with television host John Curley—and numerous stage productions. In his last years, he volunteered for the Seattle Jazz Fellowship in Pioneer Square.

Civically engaged and politically outspoken, John was a committed liberal who believed strongly in participation & accountability. He supported political causes, wrote frequently to elected officials, and supported progressive ideas and social safety nets. At the time of his death, he lived in his beloved Seattle in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

John is survived by his children: Denise Luikart, Laura LoPresti, John LoPresti, and Anna Fisher (Kirk). He will be remembered for his creativity, civic spirit, love of music and art, deep pride in his heritage—and perhaps most fondly, for his legendary spaghetti sauce and homemade pizza. A celebration of John’s life will be held on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at the home of Laura LoPresti in Renton, Washington.