Regina wrote: We lost a dear friend, John Nash (Nakashian) class of 1969. He is resting after loosing his battle with cancer. He was funny, gentle and a great friend to all. Please pray for him. RIP Johnny.
John and I grew up together on Oncrest Terrace. Even though I was imprisoned in Catholic school, we managed to spend time together.
He was funny and creative, always. Once we staged a "carnival" and charged our friends and family to play bean-bag toss, coin toss, and a lot of other stuff we dreamed up. Revenue: a few bucks -- which was a good revenue stream in 1960.
John -- I never called him Johnny -- also smuggled our first alcohol out of his house (a can of Schlitz) and we downed it on a muggy August day. Since there were probably five co-conspirators, we had to make do with a few sips each.
When he got his first pet -- a black miniature poodle he named "Jolie" -- it might have been the first French word I heard. And I also saw how much he loved her.
Years later, as owner of the Nash Animal Academy, he asked me to punch up some advertising/brocure copy he was planning. I was as impressed then, with his intelligence and creativity, as I was back in the day.
I am better for knowing John, and he will live on in my heart.
I will never forget you..When I moved to Oncrest Terrace in 1961 when I was 8 you were my first friend.You were so kind to let me into your world even though I was younger. I remember you always sticking your head out your window calling for me.The first time I played doctor was with you. You came from a lovely family Dad with his tennis your Mom always in a dress and your handsome brothers albert and nubar(spying on them was the best especially the things we would find in the glove boxes of their cars). Also trying to smoke your uncle Eds cigars.of course when you got Jolie that poodle was your life. It is wonderful it turned out to be a career for you. John thank you for being a childhood friend. You will be missed but I am lucky that you were part of my life nd I will treasure those good times!!! Susan Paganessi Baines
There isn't a day that goes by that Johnny isn't missed. I remember Johnny driving me to my first concert, all the way to Asbury Park. We saw Jefferson Airplane and one of the lead bands was Jimmy Hendricks, incredible. Johnny was always ready to jump in and do something and have fun.
Pep Johnny and I were the Mod Squad. we had so many laughs hanging around with Jo Anne Villani at the library.
Then remembering later years meeting Viv and the Pillow.. we went boating in the Caribbean. funny story I'll save to tell. This is when he met his soul mate. We all brought the makings for one meal on board, Johnny shows up with the Zabar bag and Champagne & Caviar from Manhattan.
I wish I didn't let the miles get in the way to see him more often. Who could ever forget him, he was awesome, one of the most caring souls!
He made a 'better place for dogs' Friday, January 8, 2010 BY JAY LEVIN The Record STAFF WRITER Cliffside Park native John Nash never met a poodle he couldn't make prettier.
He founded the Nash Academy of Animal Arts, which began as a pet grooming salon in his hometown and evolved into a widely known grooming school. He moved the business to Lexington, Ky., in 1986.
Mr. Nash, 58, whose given name was Robert John Nakashian, died of bladder cancer in Lexington on Dec. 17.
"He loved making a better place for dogs," said his wife and business partner, Vivian Nash. "There was an artist in Johnnie. He loved creating beautiful profiles."
Christine DeFilippo, producer of Intergroom, a pet grooming expo held annually in New Jersey, said Mr. Nash was considered an innovator in the grooming industry. "There are many pet grooming schools, but Nash Academy is the premier one," said DeFilippo.
Mr. Nash became a groomer in the early 1970s. "An old girlfriend started attending grooming school, so he decided to go, too," his wife said. He previously worked as a stockbroker.
He opened a salon called Super Dog on Anderson Avenue. One of his protégés was Joey Villani, a neighborhood kid who liked to come by and see the dogs.
"John got fed up with me coming around so much and said if I was going to hang out there, I'd have to work," Villani said.
Mr. Nash instructed Villani to brush a sheepdog named Cecilia. The boy moved up to bathing and drying dogs, and learned the styling art under Mr. Nash.
Today, the Clifton-based Villani is a professional groomer and pet products entrepreneur who has appeared as a judge on the Animal Planet reality show "Groomer Has It."
"John had a creative mind and was a wonderful stylist, and like most pet people, he had that bond with animals," Villani said. "He was the dog whisperer of the grooming industry."
Mr. Nash converted his salon into a training academy in 1979. The Nashes recently recast the business, offering students online courses and having them train at salons approved by the Nash Academy.
Vivian Nash, a longtime groomer, met her husband in 1984, when he was a judge at a grooming show in which she was competing.
"He walked up to prejudge my dog — a standard poodle — he looked at me, and we fell in love," she said, adding that Mr. Nash placed her second in the competition. They married in 1992.
Mr. Nash also is survived by a brother, Nubar Nakashian of Haworth; stepchildren Shawn Henderson of Apex, N.C., and Tanya Slater of Lexington, Ky.; and two step-grandchildren. The funeral was at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home in Lexington.
A celebration of Mr. Nash's life will be held Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Englewood.
Memorial donations can be made to the Nash Brighton Project, at nashbrighton.com, an effort by Mr. Nash to help alleviate the poverty in the village of Brighton, Jamaica, by build-ing a community center and a pre-school.
James Flachsenhaar (1969)
John and I grew up together on Oncrest Terrace. Even though I was imprisoned in Catholic school, we managed to spend time together.
He was funny and creative, always. Once we staged a "carnival" and charged our friends and family to play bean-bag toss, coin toss, and a lot of other stuff we dreamed up. Revenue: a few bucks -- which was a good revenue stream in 1960.
John -- I never called him Johnny -- also smuggled our first alcohol out of his house (a can of Schlitz) and we downed it on a muggy August day. Since there were probably five co-conspirators, we had to make do with a few sips each.
When he got his first pet -- a black miniature poodle he named "Jolie" -- it might have been the first French word I heard. And I also saw how much he loved her.
Years later, as owner of the Nash Animal Academy, he asked me to punch up some advertising/brocure copy he was planning. I was as impressed then, with his intelligence and creativity, as I was back in the day.
I am better for knowing John, and he will live on in my heart.
Susan Paganessi (Baines) (1971)
I will never forget you..When I moved to Oncrest Terrace in 1961 when I was 8 you were my first friend.You were so kind to let me into your world even though I was younger. I remember you always sticking your head out your window calling for me.The first time I played doctor was with you. You came from a lovely family Dad with his tennis your Mom always in a dress and your handsome brothers albert and nubar(spying on them was the best especially the things we would find in the glove boxes of their cars). Also trying to smoke your uncle Eds cigars.of course when you got Jolie that poodle was your life. It is wonderful it turned out to be a career for you.John thank you for being a childhood friend. You will be missed but I am lucky that you were part of my life nd I will treasure those good times!!!
Susan Paganessi Baines
Patricia DelGavio (1971)
There isn't a day that goes by that Johnny isn't missed. I remember Johnny driving me to my first concert, all the way to Asbury Park. We saw Jefferson Airplane and one of the lead bands was Jimmy Hendricks, incredible. Johnny was always ready to jump in and do something and have fun.Pep Johnny and I were the Mod Squad. we had so many laughs hanging around with Jo Anne Villani at the library.
Then remembering later years meeting Viv and the Pillow.. we went boating in the Caribbean. funny story I'll save to tell. This is when he met his soul mate.
We all brought the makings for one meal on board, Johnny shows up with the Zabar bag and Champagne & Caviar from Manhattan.
I wish I didn't let the miles get in the way to see him more often. Who could ever forget him, he was awesome, one of the most caring souls!
Charles Connelly (1969)
Here's John's obituary from the Bergen Record.He made a 'better place for dogs'
Friday, January 8, 2010
BY JAY LEVIN
The Record
STAFF WRITER
Cliffside Park native John Nash never met a poodle he couldn't make prettier.
He founded the Nash Academy of Animal Arts, which began as a pet grooming salon in his hometown and evolved into a widely known grooming school. He moved the business to Lexington, Ky., in 1986.
Mr. Nash, 58, whose given name was Robert John Nakashian, died of bladder cancer in Lexington on Dec. 17.
"He loved making a better place for dogs," said his wife and business partner, Vivian Nash. "There was an artist in Johnnie. He loved creating beautiful profiles."
Christine DeFilippo, producer of Intergroom, a pet grooming expo held annually in New Jersey, said Mr. Nash was considered an innovator in the grooming industry. "There are many pet grooming schools, but Nash Academy is the premier one," said DeFilippo.
Mr. Nash became a groomer in the early 1970s. "An old girlfriend started attending grooming school, so he decided to go, too," his wife said. He previously worked as a stockbroker.
He opened a salon called Super Dog on Anderson Avenue. One of his protégés was Joey Villani, a neighborhood kid who liked to come by and see the dogs.
"John got fed up with me coming around so much and said if I was going to hang out there, I'd have to work," Villani said.
Mr. Nash instructed Villani to brush a sheepdog named Cecilia. The boy moved up to bathing and drying dogs, and learned the styling art under Mr. Nash.
Today, the Clifton-based Villani is a professional groomer and pet products entrepreneur who has appeared as a judge on the Animal Planet reality show "Groomer Has It."
"John had a creative mind and was a wonderful stylist, and like most pet people, he had that bond with animals," Villani said. "He was the dog whisperer of the grooming industry."
Mr. Nash converted his salon into a training academy in 1979. The Nashes recently recast the business, offering students online courses and having them train at salons approved by the Nash Academy.
Vivian Nash, a longtime groomer, met her husband in 1984, when he was a judge at a grooming show in which she was competing.
"He walked up to prejudge my dog — a standard poodle — he looked at me, and we fell in love," she said, adding that Mr. Nash placed her second in the competition. They married in 1992.
Mr. Nash also is survived by a brother, Nubar Nakashian of Haworth; stepchildren Shawn Henderson of Apex, N.C., and Tanya Slater of Lexington, Ky.; and two step-grandchildren. The funeral was at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home in Lexington.
A celebration of Mr. Nash's life will be held Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Englewood.
Memorial donations can be made to the Nash Brighton Project, at nashbrighton.com, an effort by Mr. Nash to help alleviate the poverty in the village of Brighton, Jamaica, by build-ing a community center and a pre-school.
E-mail: levin@northjersey.com