Obituary of John Racette

John Michael Racette, teacher, father, avid Red Sox fan, and collector passed away at his family's home in Falls Church, Virginia on Thursday, September 2, 2021.

John is survived by his wife of 34 years, Nancy, his children, Kelly and Casey, his brother, Tom and wife Mary, and many much-loved friends that became family over the years. In his passing, John will be reunited with his parents Robert and Patricia Racette (née Dillenbeck). His family hopes that he will also get to meet some of his musical heroes, including Jerry Garcia, John Lennon, and George Harrison, and share a beer around a campfire with loved ones that made it to the party before him.

Those who knew John will surely remember his quick wit and sense of humor and his seemingly endless trivia knowledge on almost any subject. His friends will never forget the telling of Ship High In Transit, according to John, the origin of the word sh*t (although Snopes says it’s false). He leaves his family with many fond memories of cross-country camping trips, concerts, sporting events, and enjoying the sunset in Chincoteague. He was happy to have been able to spend some of his last days at his favorite place on earth in the Adirondacks. The smell of the pine trees, the sound of the river and family laughter brought him much joy and peace.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation in John’s memory to the Lab School of Washington www.labschool.org/giving. John was very proud to have been a member of the Lab School faculty for over 20 years, where he taught mathematics at the high school level. At John's request, no service will be held at this time. Family and friends will celebrate John’s life in the Adirondacks when we can all gather safely together.