John P. Tutunjian, 89, a longtime resident of Glen Cove, New York, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, April 26, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.

John was predeceased by his parents, George and Mary Tutunjian, his brother Anthony,and ex-wife Barbara. He is survived by his beloved wife, Florence; his sister, Rosemary; his children Lisa, Andrea (Bill), John (Jessica), and Noelle (Michael); his step-children, Andrea, Ari (Erin); all his grandchildren, Danielle, Sean, Colin, Casey, Nicki, Katie (TJ), Mia and Eli; and his great grandchild: Elle.

Born on August 1, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York, John was the son of George and Mary Tutunjian, immigrants to the United States from Aleppo, Syria. He graduated from Brooklyn Preparatory High School in 1956 and went on to earn an MS degree in Mathematics, with minors in Physics and Philosophy, from St. John’s University in 1959.  He subsequently earned an MBA from LI University.

John’s professional life was marked by exceptional accomplishments. He began his career at IBM Corporation as a software engineer, contributing to the development of military early warning systems. This role launched a distinguished career spanning more than three decades in computer programming, consulting, and executive leadership. Over the years, he held positions with NCR, Bankers Trust, Automated Business Systems, and Computer Guidance Corporation, and successfully transformed an emerging executive search firm into a profitable, multi-service human resources consultancy.

Driven by a strong entrepreneurial spirit, John left corporate life in 1975 to pursue business ventures, quickly demonstrating his ability to grow and scale organizations. In 1977, he joined Cornell Computer Corporation as President and Chairman. Under his leadership, the company expanded from a small local firm into a nationally recognized consulting organization, operating 15 offices across eight states and employing approximately 500 professionals. In 1987, John and his partner sold the company to a major Australian computer services firm, and John remained on as Chief Executive Officer for an additional five years finally retiring at age 56.

Throughout his career, John contributed to numerous professional and academic endeavors. He served as an Adjunct Professor at Farmingdale College and at St. John’s University’s Rome campus, and as Chairman of the Curriculum Review Committee at Manhattan College. He was a consultant to the American National Standards Institute and led programs for the American Management Association. As a dedicated alumnus of St. John’s University, he served as National Chairman of its fundraising campaign. He served on the Board of Brooklyn Preparatory Alumni Association and a member of the Advisory Board of the Tobin School of Business, as well as a frequent guest lecturer on entrepreneurship, a subject for which he had great enthusiasm.

John remained actively engaged in his community, serving on the North Shore University Hospital’s Neonatal Bioethics Committee. He also successfully advised a Nassau County Executive and generously shared his knowledge through initiatives such as “Computing for Seniors,” a course he taught to consistently enthusiastic audiences.

During his retirement, John managed family properties in Brooklyn before once again returning to entrepreneurship in 1994, when he founded the Long Island Chapter of The Single Gourmet.  John and Florence grew the dining club into a thriving organization with more than 3,000 members before selling the business and retiring (again).

John approached life with imagination, determination, and an eternally positive attitude. He was known for his passion, his commitment to excellence and his compassion for those around him. Among his favorite sayings were: “Life is what happens when you’re planning other things,” “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should,” and “Showing up is 88% of life.”

John’s greatest joy was time spent with his family. He especially cherished moments with his children and grandchildren, and he will be remembered for his warmth, generosity, and enduring curiosity. John loved sharing his passions for art, theater, music, travel, great restaurants and Carvel. He was competitive, compassionate, intelligent, funny, loving, warm, kind and grateful for all of his blessings. He lived modestly, guided by a belief of being unassuming, humble and dignified. 

In lieu of flowers, you may donate in memory of John Tutunjian at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Parkinson’s Foundation, two causes important to him and his family.

 St. Jude's Children's Hospital:  Donations in memory of John Tutunjian can be made via phone (800-822-

6344), or online https://www.stjude.org/donate/, or by mail to: P.O. Box 1000, Department 141, Memphis TN 38148-0142

Parkinson Foundation: Tribute gifts in memory of John Tutunjian can be made via phone (800-473-4636), or online

https://www.parkinson.org/, or by mail to: 5757 Waterford District Dr, Suite 310, Miami FL 33126