Obituary of John G. Stamatov

John Stamatov died on 24 December 2024. Born in 1932 and raised in Yonkers, John graduated from NYU with a degree in dentistry. After graduation, John, and his new wife, Jane, sailed across the Atlantic to Germany where John served as a captain in the army. When the couple returned, they settled in Armonk where they raised their children. John set up a dental practice and participated in many community endeavors. The couple remained in Armonk for the rest of their lives. John became an entomologist and avid collector after a friend's father, Mr. Kistler, taught him about the amazing world of insects. John traveled to Mexico, South Africa, Canada, and the continental U.S. in search of Tiger beetles. He made many close friends in the beetle world and spent hours on the phone with them discussing the creatures and their habitats. Always mindful of these friends, he named an unknown Tiger beetle he discovered: Brasiella Kisteri . He donated his vast collection of beetles to the Museum of Natural History in NYC and to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. Another passion was model railroading. Always dexterous and creative, John built models and pursued woodworking from an early age. He joined Bob Arnold's model railroad club in 1976, and for years, spent Friday nights in Bob's basement. When Bob died, the club moved to John's basement where they built an amazing layout that was featured in various publications. This was another pursuit where John encountered kind people who became life-long friends. John's other interests included fish, antiques, art, and apple pie. He is buried next to his beloved wife at Middle Patent Cemetery. He will be missed by his family: his children and their spouses, his grandchildren, his sister and brother-in-law, and his nieces and nephews.