John J. Kravetz, III

The pulsating beat of Johnny Kravetz, 75, fell silent on December 23, 2024, as he passed away peacefully at home in Saxtons River, surrounded by family and close friends. 

John Joseph Kravetz, III, was born on December 27, 1948 in Yonkers, NY, the son of Lorraine (McAlinn) and John J. Kravetz, Jr. They lived in a large home with an uncle’s family and both sets of grandparents, and he thrived on their love and care. He attended Catholic Mass daily with his grandparents at Sacred Heart Church. At age 6, he moved with his parents and sister to Fairfield, CT, where he attended Our Lady of the Assumption School and Notre Dame Catholic High School for Boys, graduating in 1966. From a very young age he entertained his family and friends with stories, mimicry, dancing and singing, and used humor at school “to avoid getting beat up.” He became an excellent athlete and golfer. He formed lifelong friendships with some neighborhood boys who shared his love of music and of animals. He attended classes at Norwalk Community College for two years, and served a brief stint in the U.S. Coast Guard. Upon regaining his greatly desired freedom, he applied the discipline he had learned to his greatest joys in life: music, drumming, and running. 

In 1970 “Kravetz” joined friends moving to Vermont, and found his forever home. He loved Vermont’s natural beauty, its residents’ simpler way of life aligned with nature, and their tolerance for those who danced to the beat of a different drum. Johnny easily gathered a wide community of new friends with his high energy, loving heart, and humorous outlook on life. He became a vegetarian, stopped drinking alcohol, and dedicated his life to music. He became an accomplished drummer, percussionist and drum teacher, known as “Johnny Yuma.” He performed with scores of musicians in dozens of bands, and was a force in the area music scene for over 50 years. He created the rhythmic foundation for numerous bands, among them “Cayenne,” “The Sun Dog Revolutionary Orchestra,” “Green Zone,” “The Living Roominators,” and “ASANTE.” He was perhaps best known as the kit drummer for “SIMBA,” which played at weddings, parties, summer concerts, benefits, and the highly attended Summer and Winter Solstice dance party celebrations for almost 30 years. Johnny also accompanied modern dance classes at the Brattleboro School of Dance and at the Putney School, and taught kit drum lessons at area private schools and at home. His homes were gathering places for musicians from all over the area to rehearse or jam, often with other friends listening or dancing to the music. Early on he lived in communal houses in West Brattleboro and in Gageville, then moved to the Shack on Patch Road, and to the Zellmer household in Putney, with a series of roommates. He helped to home school his daughter in that house. 

Kravey’s sense of humor was legendary, and his quick wit and mimicry will not be forgotten. He was equally quick on his feet playing softball on several league teams, notably “The Master Batters,” and he coached the women’s softball team “The Right Track” for several successful seasons while working at the new Landmark College. He golfed the many courses of Vermont with friends, and shared funny stories about his adventures with other friends. He ran every day with a small group of friends for over 50 years, in all weather, and knew most of the back roads and swimming holes of southeastern Vermont and southwestern New Hampshire. Running was his time to process his life, tell humorous versions of traumatic or mundane events, and regain his inner peace. He attended Catholic Mass at Our Lady of Mercy in Putney, often providing flowers for the altar that he gathered from neighbors’ yards (mostly with their permission). His deep abiding faith in the Divine Mother carried him through the challenging times in his life. In later years he attended Mass at St. Charles in Bellows Falls. 

In 2003 Johnny moved in with the love of his life, Miri, and they spent the next 21 years together, running, improvising music, enjoying each other’s companionship, and traveling. He felt blessed to be able to go with her to explore such places as the Great Lakes, both Florida coasts, Montreal and Quebec City for the annual International DrumFests, the Sacred Valley in Peru, Lourdes in France, a bit of Thailand, the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and the west coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. He made friends wherever they went, and felt a special kinship with the indigenous people he met. On return visits they greeted him with hugs, joyous that he remembered their names and their stories. 

Johnny’s lifelong love of animals extended to his neighbors’ dogs and cats, and he cared for many of them when their people traveled elsewhere. He continued to gather and arrange flowers with an artist’s eye, gracing his home with the beauty and scents of his favorite seasons in Vermont. In his last decade he created a YouTube channel called WLSD Radio, where as “DJ Mustapha Yumajahnee" he shared via email a wide variety of music video selections found on his travels, in his daily search for unique world music, and from his vast repertoire in “the jukebox of my mind.” His playlist is available online, though without his pithy comments. Johnny played hand drums with the Island Drummers, and later headed the rhythm section at the BF3F monthly Musical Jams. 

John chose to end his life with the help of Bayada Hospice, rather than extend it with medical procedures from the very knowledgeable and compassionate people at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. His final twelve days were filled with intense beauty as old friends came together to visit, laugh, share stories, and reconnect through their love for him. His rhythms and heartbeat will be missed, yet treasured in the hearts of his loving partner, Miriam Wolf of Saxtons River; his beloved daughter, Marielle Stoeltzing of Westminster; his sister, Anne Marie Derr of Shelburne Falls, MA; his niece, Lori Wulff (Dave) of New Haven, CT; his cousin, Bill Kravetz (Janet) of Naples, FL; his great-nephew, Dylan of Newport, NC; and his extended family. He also will be missed by many close friends from throughout his life, fellow musicians and drummers, neighbors and community friends, former roommates, teammates, and students, who all carry their own memories of his vibrant, humorous presence in their hearts. 

There will be a Celebration of Life held on the weekend of the Summer Solstice, June 20-22, 2025. Get updates here on this obituary page, and share your comments, memories, or photos of Johnny. Those who wish to make a memorial contribution for the Celebration can send it to Miriam Wolf, PO Box 423, Saxtons River, VT 05154. Any unspent funds will go to his daughter.