Mr. John Guy Cesare Jr.

John Guy Cesare, Jr. died, following his battle with cancer, in the Gilchrist Hospice Center in Baltimore, Maryland on Wednesday, Janurary 8, 2014. Guy was born and raised into a large Sicilian family on his father’s side and Scotch-Irish German family on mother’s side, in the Catholic community in Vicksburg. He was- schooled by the Sisters of Mercy and Brothers of Sacred Heart and graduated from St. Aloysius High School (Vicksburg) in 1967 and Mississippi State University in Chemical Engineering in 1972 - Guy was commissioned as a US Naval officer in the Officer Candidate School and interviewed by retired Admiral H.G.Rickover for the USN “nuclear power” program. He was accepted, trained, and served as commissioned officer (LTJG) on the USS James Madison (1973-1976). The James Madison was a fleet ballistic missile submarine and patrolled for 70 day periods submerged near the end of the “Cold War”, mainly in the N Atlantic, often above the Arctic Circle to remain undetected by the Russian navy. Guy returned to college in 1977, Mississippi State University, and received his MS in Nuclear Engineering. From 1980-1992 Guy worked for Entergy one on the world’s largest commercial nuclear reactor, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (still operating, just south of Vicksburg), as a licensing engineer, providing interface between the utility and the government regulating agency (US NRC). From 1992-1994 he studied for the Roman Catholic priesthood in Baltimore, MD at St. Mary’s Seminary and University. He decided to end his priesthood study in 1994 and but finished the MA in Theology in 1995. From 1995-1998 he taught theology (Hebrew and Christian scriptures) and physics at Towson Catholic High School. Finally, from 1998-2013 Guy worked for ENERCON Services, an engineering consulting firm, where he was a senior licensing consultant. Mr. Cesare has been an active volunteer in Baltimore’s homeless ministries, including 8 years at Shelter at Old St. Paul’s Church, and 20 years with Loaves & Fishes ministry, from his home parish, St. Ignatius Church, Baltimore. He was also a charter participant in the Kairos prison ministry in Mississippi maximum security prison (Parchman).Guy once stated, “While I wandered in enthusiasm, I believe the love of God strengthens our most important purposes which are, support of family and of the poor around us.” His interests included cooking, travel, camping, sailing, biking, pen and ink drawings with water color wash, photography, and guitar for family and church events. Guy is survived by his beloved wife, Susan Dexter Cesare of Baltimore, MD, his devoted step-children, Audrey Comly Kennedy of Baltimore, MD and John Dexter Comly of Charlotte, NC, his parents, John G. Cesare, Sr. and Barbara Ellen Salmon Cesare of Vicksburg, MS and his dear grandchildren, Grayson Kennedy, Piper Kennedy, Robert Comly, Hadley Kennedy, Katherine Comly and Scarlett Kennedy. He is the devoted brother of Mary Cesare White of Vicksburg, MS, Carol Cesare Walker of Madison, MS, Charles David Cesare of Clarksdale, MS and the late Anne Elizabeth Cesare. Also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, cousins and many God-children. Friends may call at the family owned Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, Inc., 6500 York Road,(at Overbrook Rd), Baltimore, MD 21212 on Friday, January 17 from 2 to 4 PM and 7 to 9 PM. A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Saturday, January 18 at St. Ignatius Church, 740 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 at 12 Noon. A Memorial Mass will be offered in St. Paul Catholic Church, Vicksburg, MS at 11 AM on Saturday, February 1, 2014. Interment private in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Mr. Cesare’s name to Johns Hopkins-Sidney Kimmel Cancer Institute, 401 N. Broadway, Ste 1100, Baltimore, MD 21187.

Mr. John Guy Cesare Jr.

December 8, 1949 - January 8, 2014