John J. Zito, Sr.

John J. Zito, Sr. passed away at the age of 96 at home surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife, Joan; his son, John J. Zito, Jr. and wife Trish Marhin; his daughter, Deborah Zito Rayner and her husband, A. Thomas Rayner; his grandchildren, Carmella Hart and husband Brandon Hart, and Serafina Rayner and husband Derek Stumpf; and his great-grandchildren Penelope, Mirabelle, and Adessa.

John attended St. Ambrose grade school and Mount St. Joseph High School in Baltimore, Maryland, and played baseball there. He was a talented player and was scouted by the Orioles baseball team. Before graduating, he enlisted in the Army Air Force. Following his honorable discharge, he attended the New York Radio Technical Institute in Maryland after which he worked at RCA. He went on to own his own television repair business, State Television and Radio Company. He later worked at C & P Telephone and Martin Marietta where he worked on the Matador Project, which resulted in the first operational surface to surface cruise missile designed and built by the United States.

John researched and invented a new method using circuitry for detecting and recording physiological changes accompanying emotional stresses and received a patent for this circuitry. He became a polygraph examiner, passing the course of studies with honors. Later, he headed the government sales division of Alarm-It. Outside of his day jobs, he could always be found at his workbench, and his family can attest to the fact that he could repair absolutely anything you brought to him.

John was patient and kind, always the gentleman; if you had a minute, he had some great stories to tell you.

Family and friends will honor and celebrate John's life at the Evans Life Celebration Home-Bel Air, 3 New Port Drive (Rt 24 and Rt. 23), Forest Hill on Friday, April 29, 2022, from 2-8 PM where a prayer service will be held on Saturday at 10 AM.  Interment Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Hart for Animals, where his favorite dog was originally sheltered: 1265 Bumble Bee Road, Accident, MD 21520, 301-387-7729, online at HartForAnimals.or

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