Obituary of John Thomas Lopat

John Thomas Lopat was born on June 21, 1948, in Bridgeport, Connecticut to Francis George and Susan Jane Lopat. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts with a Landscape Architect and Civil Engineering degree, John started his own contracting company, working in both Massachusetts and Chicago. In 1994, John settled in Bluffton, South Carolina. His vast experience led to his great success as Owner and President of JS Construction Services, Inc. John grew JS Construction as Bluffton and Hilton Head Island grew. John started as a one-man operation in 1995 and now employees over 45 employees. John truly loved his life in Bluffton. He was an amazing cook and baker. John loved entertaining, throwing elaborate parties with Lowcountry Boil, New England lobsters, local oysters along with his PBRs and Vodka Tonics. He had a great eye for designing both homes and landscaping. John had a fantastic talent for creating, restoring, and redesigning all types of machinery, including heavy equipment. John loved his river and salt marsh view - The River House. He enjoyed sailing, boating, fly-fishing and deep-sea fishing. He was an avid collector of "muscle cars" but mostly he enjoyed driving his beloved vintage Ferrari, Rossa. John is survived by his wife, Soza Lopat and his stepchildren, Pedro [Thais], Oliver and Lavinia, his sister, Rommy [John Drummond], nieces, Danielle and Leah, along with many cousins, including Dick Hermenze and Mary Gail Gristina who greatly enjoyed sharing his birth year of 1948. John bravely endured AML Leukemia. Donations can be made to Bluffton-Jasper Volunteers in Medicine at www.bjvim.org. Services will be held at Sauls Funeral Home on Friday, March 7, 2025, at 1:00 pm, immediately followed by a celebration of life at Martin Family Park on Boundary Street, Bluffton. John will be laid to rest beside his parents in Fairfield, Connecticut on March 14, 2025.