John S. Doroski Jr., Remembered as Devoted Missionary, Community Leader

John Stanley Doroski Jr., a foreign missionary who led national organizations that advocated for family values, died on Nov. 10, at the Kansas Hospice Center in Westhampton Beach. He was 77.

John was born in Greenport on Jan. 3, 1948, to Mary (Wheeler) and John Doroski Sr. He was one of three children. He graduated from Greenport High School and later from the State University of New York at Albany with a degree in business.

John felt a calling to do pastoral church work in both California and Texas. He then served as a foreign missionary in Kuwait for three years, where he was arrested, tortured, and held in a secret prison. He was released with the help of a Kuwaiti who intervened on his behalf. Afterward, John went to the Philippines for five years, where his wife Nanette was pioneering mission work in the nation, establishing the first 12 mission houses and helping bring in the first 225 missionaries. He was later sent to Australia for five years before returning to America.

Upon returning to America, John became the president of the American Constitution Committee, lecturing on and promoting the value of the American Constitution. He later served as president of the American Freedom Coalition, working to address cultural issues in America and promote high values through American Leadership Conferences attended by many elected officials — from mayors to U.S. congressmen — as well as business and religious leaders from Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. He also served as president of the American Family Coalition, promoting pro-family values and instituting Fatherhood Initiatives to inspire fathers to take responsibility for their families and become actively involved in raising their children.

John and his wife of 50 years, Nanette (Semha), had six children: Paul (Amanda) of Massachusetts; Sebastian (Rachel) of Greenport; Charmaine (Rich) of Shirley; Simone (Seiya) of Connecticut; and Jonathan (Karen) of Greenport and Landon (Monica) of Greenport. John is survived by his 13 grandchildren and his two brothers, Gerald (Melanie) of Greenport and Gary (Karen) of Cutchogue.

A remembrance service will be held on Nov. 22 at 10 a.m. at the DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home, 13805 Main Road, Mattituck. Attendees at the celebration of John Doroski Jr.’s life are asked to wear white or light clothing.