John Olsavsky, age 62, of Cleveland, Ohio, passed away on July 16, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of laughter, music and love.
John came into the world in his own unique way, born as a leap year baby on February 29, 1964, to his loving parents, Joe Olsavsky. Sr. and Jacqueline Cooke (Sunday).
To know John was to know joy. He was a man who lived life with a soundtrack, famous for always joking around and bursting into song about absolutely anything at any moment. His passion for music was central to his life, most notably as a member of his band, Bootleg. While they brought the Cleveland community together through the power of classic rock covers, one of John’s proudest musical achievements was having an original song played on the radio. A die-hard Aerosmith fan and a fiercely loyal Cleveland Browns fan, John’s rock’n’roll spirit and Cleveland pride undoubtedly live on in the hearts of all who knew him.
John is survived by his beloved fiancée, Janet Childers; his stepsons Chris Myers(Amber) and Joseph; his grandchildren Lilly and Hayden; his parents; Joe Olsavsky Sr. and Jacqueline Cooke; and siblings, Joe Olsavsky, Jeanenne Skierkowski, Jeanielle Taylor and Holly Olsavsky; son-in-law f the late Rebecca and Warren Tingler; brother-in-law of Danny, Scott, Ray, Johnny, Ryan and Frank. He also leaves behind a community of friends, fans and bandmates who will deeply miss his laughter, his song, and his game-day spirit.
John is the namesake of Fr. John Olsavsky.
A celebration of John’s life-filled with the music, laughter and sports he loved- will be held on Sunday August 30th from 2-5PM. at Donlon Funeral Home 15408 Triskett Rd. Cleveland, Ohio 44111.
In honor of John’s vibrant life, the family invites attendees to wear their favorite band T-shirts or Cleveland Browns gear to the service.