Veteran’s Day Celebration Honors CAPT (Ret) Mike Honan

CAPT (Ret) Mike Honan felt a special devotion to veterans.

Veterans at the St. John’s University Veterans Day Luncheon on 9 November 2026.

NIP New York's departed shipmate, CAPT (Ret) Mike Honan, was the sole honoree at St. Johns University's annual Veteran’s Day celebration and luncheon at the Queens campus on 9 November 2026. Mike passed away on 3 January 2026 at the age of 79. An alumni of St. John’s, he had received his bachelor’s degree (‘68ED) from the School of Education at St. John’s before joining the Navy in the late 1960s, and then a master’s degree in management (‘74MBA) after leaving active duty and joining the Navy Reserve.  

The 1 1/2 hour Veteran’s Day celebration, with approximately 90 attendees, was sponsored by the school's Army ROTC program. The event began with a lunch along with the presentation of colors by the honor guard, singing of the national anthem, and invocation. Following inspirational remarks by LTC Matthew Pride, Mike’s widow, Fran, delivered a heart-warming eulogy. She talked about how Mike had a special devotion to all veterans, and how he organized several veteran programs in his community. “My husband Mike was a proud veteran and very proud of his service,” Fran said. “He truly believed veterans should be honored not just once or twice a year, but every day. Mike would have appreciated this ceremony.”  As commander of the Daniel M. O’Connell American Legion Post #272, Mike led the Rockaway area’s Memorial Day Parade and Veterans Day ceremony each year. He was also active in preserving and maintaining a veterans memorial in the Rockaway community.

All who knew Mike found him to be a true officer and gentleman, and a loving husband and father to his two daughters. 

Fair winds and following seas, Mike. You are missed.

Note: Some of the information for this article came from this article: https://www.stjohns.edu/news-media/news/2026-11-10/st-johns-community-celebrates-veterans-campus-ceremony