Former Butler County Veterans Services director hailed for service to vets before unexpected death
Most Butler County veterans would agree no one did more to secure benefits for veterans than the former Butler County Veterans Services director.
John P. Cyprian, 58, of Valencia, died unexpectedly at home Saturday, April 12, after a long career serving veterans.
Although most were in Butler County, his family said John was so talented in securing veteran benefits that he would receive calls from veterans and VA directors across the country for advice.
“He was the best guy for the job,” said Tony Cyprian, one of his brothers.
John Cyprian was the Butler County Veterans Services director for almost 30 years before he retired in 2021. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1985 and served in the military during Operation Desert Storm before he was appointed veterans services director in 1996.
Despite the long tenure and dedication to veterans, John’s family said he was most dedicated to his daughter, Chelsey, and put time with her above all else.
John began working in the Butler County Veterans Services office as part of a work-study program and was appointed as the youngest veterans services director in the state by the Butler County commissioners after the previous director’s death.
Before his retirement, he founded the Butler County Veterans in Need Fund in 2017 and served as its president until his death. He also was a longtime member of American Legion Post 117, Joseph T. Black Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 249, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 64, and he served two terms as the state secretary of Veterans Affairs, was Chef de Train Vice Commander 40/8 and a previous 26th District Commander of the American Legion Department of Pennsylvania.
“His life was devoted to the veterans. They were his veterans,” said his mother, Linda Cyprian.
John’s family said he mastered the VA disability caims system due to his extra certifications and training, including modernizing the office that operated off filing cabinets and paperwork when he arrived.
His family said John knew the system so well he would be asked by his bosses at the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to pick up cases in other states that were left unresolved. His brothers said it was common to find John still awake at 3 a.m. in his basement office working on a claim.
Both the number of veterans in the county receiving benefits and revenue to the county increased during his tenure, his family said.
“He was quite an advocate and a strong force for our veterans in this county,” said Ken Kalberer, the executive assistant to the director of the Butler VA.
His family said they knew of more than a dozen veterans in California, Colorado and Texas who had their benefits processed by John in Pennsylvania, but he would say “no thanks needed” when a veteran tried. Kalberer added John was an “unsung hero” for veterans in the county with all he did behind the scenes.
“We were really blessed to have had him work with us over the years,” Kalberer said.
Linda Cyprian said John also secured years of back-paid benefits for veterans with his knowledge of the claim system, and he commonly filed claims on behalf of veterans who were previous denied benefits.
“It all came down to: he knew the rules of the game better than even the VA did,” Tony Cyprian said.
John was appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans Services by former Gov. Tom Wolfe “so long as he shall behave,” as it reads in his appointment paperwork, where he was relentless in advocating for veteran recognition. Tony Cyprian said in his first year on the council, John succeeded in getting a veteran’s designation on the Pennsylvania driver’s license after it was discussed in years prior and designed the office’s logo.
Blystone said John also worked with local veterans to design several monuments around Butler, like the World War II monument and others in Diamond Park.
“To take the time to sit down with those veterans and design the meaning behind all of those monuments, that was his dedication,” Blystone said.
Linda Cyprian said in the last year of John’s life, he took several family cruises and spent more recreational time for himself than at any other point in his life. Outside of helping veterans, he could commonly be found cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers, taking motorcycle or boat trips, and working around the house, said his brother Kevin Cyprian.
John also is survived by his brothers Robert Elea, Jerry Cyprian and James Cyprian. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Felicia, and his father, Jerry Cyprian.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 3 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at Geibel Funeral Home, 201 E. Cunningham St. in Butler. Military honors will follow at 8 p.m.
A celebration of life will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at American Legion Post 778 at 150 Legion Memorial Lane in Butler.
John will be laid to rest in the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies in Washington County.
