John Tai

John Tai passed away unexpectedly in Melbourne, Florida on 2/20/2026 surrounded by family. 

John was born on June 24, 1958 in Western Samoa. He was raised from a young age by his grandparents in Tokelau and attended boarding school in New Zealand. He moved to Hawaii as a teenager to be with his mother Sienni Tai, step-father Benjamin Tai, and his 5 brothers and sisters. He graduated from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelor's in Religion and had a long and varied career. He worked as a pallet builder in a pineapple factory, fire dancer, pizza maker, police officer, security officer, plumber, and construction worker. He retired in 2024 as a Sergeant in the Florida Department of Corrections. He was known to be dedicated and humble no matter what role he served. 

Outside of work, John's personal interests were as varied as his professional ones. John was an avid learner and could just as easily be found nose deep in a book about the American Revolution as he could be seen watching an in depth Youtube video on how HVAC units work. He loved being outside whether he was fishing, running, walking, or simply sitting outdoors enjoying the fresh air or the sound of rain on his back porch roof. He was a skilled swimmer and surfer and loved being water of any kind, especially when it involved his grandkids. 

No matter what John was doing he was always first and foremost a family man. In any role within a family, John set the standard whether he was the son, husband, father, uncle, cousin, nephew, or his favorite role, grandpa. The type of relation did not matter to John, blood, in-law, or friend, FAMILY was FAMILY. He treated everyone like they were important and he made room for everyone in his heart. John was a rock for his loved ones and selflessly put his family first every day of his life whether they were near or far. He was always a strong, compassionate, and reassuring presence to the many people that loved him. 

John is survived by his wife of 44 years Janice, sons Feki and Justin, their wives Nyssa and Rachel, and his grandchildren Raynor, Wyatt, Teddy, and Rosie. He is also survived by his siblings Nive Pedro and Adam Tai and a host of beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews.

John was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Nora Buchanan, Tiare Tai, and Austin Tai.