October 3, 1945 — March 1, 2016.
Mr. Araneta belongs to Ateneo Grade School Class 1958, High School Class 1962 and College Class 1966. He once told me that members of our college class is on a steady decline. Many have passed away since he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and he wanted to see the remainder come our Golden Anniversary on December this year.
That’s a dream that will never materialize. He joined the ranks of our dear departed classmates last March 1, 2016.
Several years ago, John had a delicate open heart surgery. He mentioned to me that certain valves in his heart had to be repaired or replaced. He survived the operation until late February when he suffered a severe stroke which brought him to the Intensive Care Unit of Mt. Kurringai Hospital in Hornsby NSW. He never regained consciousness until the final hour when he drew his last breath.
Funeral services that include a requiem mass will be held on March 9 at Asquith Catholic Church. His only child Grant Araneta will surely be present. Many of his former classmates from Ateneo de Manila University have sent messages of sympathy through this writer.
John loved books. His entire house in Asquith New South Wales is a living library. From the main entrance to the reception area, to the lounge, to the dining room and the kitchen, one would see books everywhere. Even his bedroom was filled with books. Any visitor would encounter difficulty walking inside the house without stepping into a book. I once loaned him a copy of the Ateneo de Manila Alumni Directory which contained the name of Dr. Jose Rizal but I never got it back. The directory got buried somewhere in his not-so-organized library. But he continued buying books. He has a treasure trove of books — from novels to fiction and documentaries; from Dante Alighieri’s Divina Comedia, to Søren Kierkegaard‘s philosophy, to Primitivo Henares’ Conjugal Dictatorship — he had them all! I have no doubt his library is worth a fortune.
John has flown to a better place and is undoubtedly in the company of his Creator. He has died but will remain alive in the hearts of those whose lives he has touched. — Dino Crescini
Dino, thank you so much for the well written article on my brother, Johnny. I truly appreciate your time and effort. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend Johnny’s services. I was in the hospital for eight days for double pneumonia. In fact, John called at the hospital and we spoke for quite a while. I was discharged eight days later. My two days rest at home was short lived. I received a call from Grant informing me that John was in very critical condition. My wife, Medy, made several calls to the hospital at Hornsby to get the latest medical reports. We made attempts to fly to Sydney to be with John but I could not get a clean bill of health. I was very devastated when I heard from Grant again informing me of John’s demise. Grant told me that the the ashes will be shipped to Manila where Johnny will be interned at the family plot in Loyola Memorial. We will have a short service here in Manila for John to allow closure for us. Again, many thanks for the write up. And yes, Johnny loved books. He still has a library he left here in Manila. It is stored in the attic and from time to time, we go through it.
Sincerely, Dennis
I will miss Johnny’s overseas calls to our home. He was very caring and always made sure we were alright. Oh John, I wish I could attend your services but Dennis is so ill with pneumonia. I promise I will take care of your brother. I will check on Grant from time to time too. Rest in Heaven Johnny. With Papa and Mama, Grandma Lillian, youngest brother Mikey, and of course Tita Dory who dotted on you since you were a baby and through the end of her life. I love you Johnny. You are in God’s loving hands.
My very first part-time position after leaving high school was in the ABC Music Department in William Street, Sydney where I had the honour and pleasure of meeting John Araneta. John was a most cultivated and cultured gentleman who taught me a great deal about poetry (ancient Persian poetry, in particular), literature and music through talking together and listening to a great deal of music at full volume (Boulez, Messiaen, Hovhaness and an exotic array of other composers). His collection of recordings at the time was as every bit as impressive as his collection of books. Some years later I set part of his superb translation of the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ as a chamber opera. John was immensely knowledgeable and I was in awe of his fascinating mind and keen appreciation of beauty across many cultures. Rest in Peace, dear John. I am playing ‘Fra Angelico’ in memory of you tonight. ‘O magnum mysterium’.
Thank you for your kind words about my dear classmate John Araneta. I will pass on your comments to his other classmates in Manila. With your permission, I will publish your comments as “Letter to the Editor” in the next edition of Philippine Sentinel. Dino Crescini