John R. Westgate

John R. Westgate, Age 77, of Havre de Grace, MD, passed away on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

Born in Carbondale, PA, John was the son of the late Donald John Westgate and Rose Helen (Yarnold) Slickmeyer. The family relocated to Westfield, New Jersey, where John attended Holy Trinity Grammar School and Thomas Edison Junior High School. Relocating again, John attended Point Pleasant Boro High School. He then attended Silvermine College of Art, New Canaan, CT, even joining the faculty in teaching drawing and photography, earning his AFA degree in 1969 and completing the Advanced Study Program in1970. Continuing his education at Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ, he earned his B.A. degree in 1972. He met his wife there and became the beloved husband of nearly 50 years to Valerie Coyne Westgate.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather, Thomas Slickmeyer; his nephew Michael Sayko, his stepsister Susan Watson, his niece Diana Watson Stover, and his brother-in-law, William F. Coyne, Jr.

John is survived by his devoted wife, Valerie Westgate; his sister Patricia (Andrew F.) Sayko; his sister-in-law, Eileen Coyne; his Brother-in-law, Gerald Coyne; his sister-in-law, Laraine (Andris) Coyne-Salins; his niece, Marcia Sayko; his nephew, Andrew C. (Michele) Sayko; his niece, Kathryn (Andrew) Sayko-Klopp; his nephew, James P. (Erica) Sayko; his nephew, Ed (Michele) Watson; his niece, Kim Backovsky; his niece, Cheryl (Guy) Conselyea; his nephew, William F. Coyne, III; his niece, Kathleen (Lewis)Thomson; his nephew, Thomas Coyne; his nephew James Salins; his nephew, Daniel Salins; his great nieces Amanda Sayko, Elizabeth (Tyler) Griesbach, Emily Sayko, Lauren Watson, Casey (David) Sanchez, Amanda (Kevin) Flanzer, Caitlyn Conselyea; his great nephews A.J. Sayko, Charles Klopp, Patrick Klopp, Nathan Sayko, Kieran Sayko, Robert Backovsky, Christopher Backovsky, Ryan Conselyea, Thomas Conselyea, his cousins; his longtime and good friend Thomas(Tami) Newman; and the good neighbors who were so kind to him.

His work history took John from the M&T company working as a draftsman at the Naval Air Engineering Center in Lakehurst, NJ, next as an ADP Systems Manager supporting various Navy aircraft Support Equipment Programs, to SSAI as Test Program Set Manager, to Analytics, Inc. preparing Acquisition Requirement Packages, through TPS Associates as Logistics Support Engineer on-site at Grumman Aerospace in Melville, NY, back to Analytics Inc. working as the North East Region Acquisition Program Manager.

Forming his own company in 1988, operating as an Acquisition Program Consultant, assuring compliance with DoD Directives and the Defense Acquisition Guidebook for Acquisition Category. He continued providing support to various Army Program Management offices as a self-employed LLC contractor. In September of 2009, John took a government position as a Procurement Analyst where he proudly served the U.S. Army at APG in developing product support strategies for various programs, relocating to Maryland n 2010, and retiring in 2014.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in John's memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 ST. Jude Way, Memphis, TN.