John Wesley Cybulski passed into eternal life on August 5, 2022, at the age of 57, in Newport Beach, California, not too far from his childhood home in Costa Mesa where he enjoyed living his final days with his wife of 29 years, Angela, and his son, John Dante. John struggled for over a year with unidentifiable lung complications, eventually diagnosed as interstitial lung disease and cancer, which steadily worsened over the last two months and finally included heart and neurological compromise. In the midst of great pain and suffering, John was given heroic grace to endure and surrender to it all with patience, humility, and humor. He was a great witness to the power of faith to transform suffering into sacrificial love and transcendence, and it was an honor for his family, the priests, and the medical staff to accompany, minister to, and care for him.

John was born in 1964 to John "Cy" and Marlys Cybulski in Whittier, California. He grew up in Costa Mesa and attended public school, graduating from Estancia High School in 1983. He attended San Jose State University to study Industrial Design and was an active, beloved member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He met Angela in Baja while on vacation the summer before he graduated. They were married two years later and settled in southern California from the Bay area to be closer to family. John made a career in internet technology, web design, and marketing at Taco Bell Corporate. John and Angela had two children: a son, John Dante in 2001, and their daughter, Maria Faustina, who died before her birth in November 2006 and with whom John is now reunited, praise God! In the last 10 years or so, John has reconnected with a network of his Estancia classmates with whom he has been blessed to share many good times. John was a proud and dedicated member of the Knights of Columbus, St. John the Baptist parish in Costa Mesa. In addition to Angela and John Dante, John is survived by his mother, Marlys.

John will be remembered for his sarcastic wit and memorable jokes, his passion (obsession!) for cars and automotive design, his artistic eye, his willingness to do the jobs no one else wanted, his ability to think outside the box, his gift for being able to design and build literally anything, his love for mid-century design and jazz standards, his affection for the central coast (especially wine-tasting with Angela),  and his inclination to help others without ever asking for help himself. His family will remember and cherish with gratitude to God all of the intimate memories and miracles of these last six months which they hope to be faithful witnesses to in their lives going forward.

The funeral mass for John is scheduled for 10:00 am on August 16, 2022, at St. Michael's Abbey in Silverado, California. The family is grateful for continued prayers for the repose of John's soul and for the souls of all the faithful departed, and for Angela and John Dante and all those mourning his passing.

In lieu of flowers, John's family welcomes donations in his memory to St. Michael's Abbey. Go to https://stmichaelsabbey.com/one-time-donation/ and check the box that says "Dedicate my donation in memory of" and add John's name and desired donation amount.

Appropriate Etiquette for the Abbey

This place and the community of Norbertine canons and seminarians who live here hold a very special place in our hearts and are part of our family. It is a singular favor that we have been granted permission to have John's funeral here and to ensure we protect the privacy and silence of the abbey environment while we are here, we are providing some guidelines to assist our guests.  * We realize this may be the first time you have visited the abbey and, out of respect for the community and their life of prayer, we request guests maintain silence as much as possible and speak in low voices if necessary, especially prior to the mass. * Please wait until the family greeting period after the funeral mass to congregate and converse. * While in the abbey church, please refrain from speaking. * During the mass, Catholics in good standing who are properly prepared may approach and kneel at the altar rail to receive Holy Communion on the tongue. For those who are not Catholic or are not properly disposed, please remain seated or kneeling in your pew joined in prayer during Holy Communion. * After mass, guests may greet the family in one of the conference rooms off the abbey courtyard. * Please continue to maintain an appropriate volume and tone when speaking so as not to disturb the community as they continue on with their prayers and work after the mass. * After mass, guests may explore the art in the abbey church and side altars. There are handouts about the art in the back of the church on a table next to the icon of St. Norbert. Guests may NOT enter the sanctuary space past the altar rail gate. If you do explore the church, please maintain silence and be mindful of the canons if they are at prayer to avoid distractions. *The abbey grounds are NOT open for exploration. Guests are asked to confine their movement to the courtyard, church, and appointed conference room. Public bathrooms are available off the courtyard. *The abbey office will be open (door faces parking lot) and guests may visit there for additional information about the abbey, to arrange a tour at a later date, and to view the abbey memorabilia room. Thank you for your cooperation in attending to our requests. We hope you find the peace and solace our family has experienced here in this beautiful community of men who have given their lives in faithful, joyful service to Christ and His Church and who have so lovingly ministered to us a part of our family for over 20 years.