John Joseph Morena

John J. Morena, beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, inventor, entrepreneur, and lifelong innovator, passed away on September 3, 2026. He leaves behind not only a deeply loved family, but an extraordinary legacy of creativity, ingenuity, and accomplishment. John shared his life with his beloved wife, Diane Morena. He was the proud father of three sons: John "Jay" Morena Jr. and his wife, Karen; Stephen Morena and his wife, Susan; and Todd Morena. John was preceded in death by his parents, John Morena and Theresa Morena, and his brother-in-law, Harry Goulding. He is also survived by his sister, Carol Goulding; his nephew, Sean Goulding; and his niece, Lisa Shembekar and her husband, TJ. His family grew to include his cherished grandchildren, Jaclyn, Catherine (Kris), Melissa (Rob), Jared (Danielle), Jason, Justin, TJ, and Courtney, and his beloved great-grandchildren, Julia, Lailah, Colton, and Jack. While John accomplished many remarkable things throughout his lifetime, his family remained among his greatest sources of pride. John possessed a rare kind of mind. He was endlessly curious, inventive, mechanically gifted, and seemingly never satisfied simply accepting that something had to be done the way it had always been done. If there was a better way to build something, improve a material, solve a difficult engineering problem, or turn an idea into reality, John wanted to find it. That spirit of innovation began close to home. In his own garage, John made custom fiberglass surfboards, rescue sleds, and small boats. That same combination of imagination and technical ability would eventually take him into fields ranging from musical instruments to aerospace and advanced composite materials. Music was another important part of John's life. An accomplished drummer, he played with a band called the Playboys beginning in the late 1950s, continuing through the 1960s and beyond. His talent and passion for drumming were more than a pastime; they were part of the same creative spirit that would later help inspire his groundbreaking work in professional drums. Among his best-known accomplishments was the founding of Fibes Drum Company with drummer Bob Grauso in the 1960s. John brought his expertise in plastics and composite materials to the company, helping pioneer the use of fiberglass in professional drums. Fibes became known for its groundbreaking fiberglass and transparent acrylic drums, instruments that found their way into the hands of some of the world's most accomplished musicians. John's abilities extended far beyond the music industry. He designed and fabricated machinery for winding high-quality guitar strings, including strings produced for D'Angelico and other brands. His knowledge of plastics, epoxies, fiberglass, mold making, and composite materials made him a sought-after innovator and consultant. Throughout his career, John contributed his expertise to increasingly sophisticated engineering challenges. His work encompassed advanced materials and manufacturing techniques associated with radar and antenna systems, aerospace and high-temperature applications, cryogenic environments, superconducting magnet technology, and magnetic levitation. He contributed materials expertise to work connected with the Superconducting Super Collider, where components and materials had to perform under extraordinarily demanding cryogenic conditions. He was also involved in the development of advanced electromagnetic and magnetic technologies, including concepts related to magnetic-levitation transportation (Maglev). John was more than an inventor and engineer; he was also a teacher and author. He shared decades of practical knowledge through books and professional consulting on advanced mold-making and composite-manufacturing techniques, passing along the expertise he had gained through a lifetime of experimentation and problem solving. Even after a career filled with technical accomplishments, John continued to be an entrepreneur. His final business venture was operating the Hi-Tide Boat Lifts dealership serving the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut region, bringing his lifelong connection with boats, engineering, and problem solving full circle. Trying to summarize John's life by listing his accomplishments, however, tells only part of his story. Behind the inventor, engineer, businessman, author, and entrepreneur was a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose greatest legacy lives on in the people who loved him. His family will remember his intelligence, his determination, his creativity, his stories, his knowledge, and the unmistakable way his mind was always working on the next idea or the next solution. John lived a life defined by curiosity and creation. He didn't simply wonder how things worked. He wondered how they could work better, and then he set about finding a way to make that happen. The things John designed, built, invented, taught, and inspired will continue to speak to the remarkable mind he possessed. But to those closest to him, his most important title was simply Dad, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, Papa-Kid (PPK), Pop Pop, JM and husband. His was truly a life well lived, a mind well used, and a legacy that will not be forgotten. John J. Morena December 6, 1937 - September 3, 2026 Forever loved. Forever remembered.