Obituary of John Frank Maiorana

John Maiorana, 91, of Chandler, AZ, died November 3, 2021. He was born on December 26, 1929, in Detroit, MI, to Andrea and Rosaria Maiorana. Around age 13, John began to earn money as a child-prodigy drummer alongside middle-aged brass players in a big band outfit. Later in his teens, he was a quick-fielding shortstop for American Legion baseball teams. He graduated from Henry Ford Technical High School in 1948, and apprenticed as a machinist in the auto industry before being drafted into the U.S. Army. He served in the Korean War, earning a Bronze Star and other distinctions. After being honorably discharged in 1953, he resumed his tool and die work. He married Irene Sedun in 1955, gave up his music gigs, and lived in the Detroit suburbs until moving to Arizona in the early 1980s. John was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Irene; all six of his siblings and their spouses; and his favorite niece, Joy Ross. He is survived by his son, Mark Maiorana, of Tucson; daughter, Gail Maiorana, of Los Angeles; and many nieces and nephews. No services are planned.