John Charles Galleni, 57, of Oakland, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Feb. 5 of natural causes.
John was born on Jan. 30, 1966, to Andrew Joseph Galleni and Susan Knedel Galleni in San Francisco. After John graduated from Berkeley High in 1984, he went on to study psychology at CSU Hayward.
John left college and studied Holistic healing at the National Holistic Institute. During his school years and after, he spent many years making incredible food and friends in the restaurant and catering business. He then had a 16-year-career ending as a network technician with Comcast. Finally, in 2018, he went back to school and found his path and passion as an EMT with WestMed and Falck. John was a helper and loved taking care of people in all of his jobs.
John met his current wife Heidi in 1998. Friends for 25 years, they married in 2018. Together they were raising Heidi’s child Cora from a previous marriage.
John’s hobbies included photography, flying kites, cooking exquisite foods, learning anything, amateur radio, riding bikes, trains and nature. He was also a poet and a writer and active in the Recovery community.
John was predeceased by his father Andrew Joseph Galleni and tragically followed in death by his brother Andrew (Drew) Martin Galleni five days after his own death. He is survived by his wife, Heidi Lynn Galleni; stepchild, Cora Galleni; mother, Susan Knedel Galleni; and sister, Andrea Marie Galleni; as well as many beloved cousins and aunts and uncles. He was adored by his family and friends.
There was no one else in the world like him and he will be missed beyond words.
Services will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley-Kensington at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25.