John M. Dominis, a chemical engineer and a veteran who self-published an autobiography about his life as a descendant of Croatian immigrants, died Aug. 27. He was 92.

Family members and friends remember him as a kind and chivalrous man who worked hard and valued his time with family. He enjoyed photography, opera, classical music and studying Roman history.

"He loved his children and grandchildren and spent as much time as he could with them," said his wife of 58 years, Nancy Dominis. "He was very proud of his three sons."

Mr. Dominis and his family lived somewhat nomadic lives, moving frequently. "We went to Europe for what was supposed to be three months, and came back three and a half years later with two children," his wife said. "We lived in many places and made friends wherever we lived."

Over the course of his life Mr. Dominis lived in Philadelphia, Amsterdam, Belgium, New Jersey, Memphis and several Chicago suburbs.

Mr. Dominis was born in 1930 in New York City, to Marijan and Rubina Dominis. He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1948, and later earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from The Cooper Union and a master's degree from Brooklyn Polytechnic.

His education was interrupted in 1952 when he was drafted to serve in the Korean conflict. After his discharge two years later, he finished his degrees and worked as a chemical engineer, designing plants for several companies, including Pfizer, Lummus Chemicals, Catalytic, QO Chemicals, and Great Lakes Chemicals. He retired in 1995 in Memphis.

He married Nancy (Dominis) Quinney in 1964, and they had three children, John, Robert and Matthew.

In the late 1990s, John and Nancy Dominis volunteered as hosts and translators in Memphis for the International Children's Heart Foundation. Through this program, they helped the families of 10 young children from Croatia and Bosnia stay in America so they could receive life-saving cardiac surgeries at LeBonheur Children's Medical Center. The couple later visited Croatia and the families they had hosted.

He and his wife traveled through much of Europe, frequently traveling to Italy and Croatia. They frequently stayed in Sali, a coastal village where Mr. Dominis' parents grew up. They also visited Alaska, Hawaii and other U.S. states.

Through his life he followed Michelangelo's maxim of "ancora imparo," which means I am still learning. In his retirement he audited university classes in art, history and Italian, and learned to create mosaics. He wrote a 2018 book, "Stories of an American of Croatian Descent," which detailed his upbringing and family traditions.

"John was my beloved big brother who had a profound influence on my life," said his sister, Sonja Mitchell. "A true Renaissance man, he was interested in everything and eager to share his knowledge with me. He introduced me to my lifelong love of art, classical music, museums, science, travel and the treasures found in books."

He is survived by his wife, Nancy; sister, Sonja Mitchell; sons, John (Julianne), Robert and Matthew (Roxanne); grandchildren Maria, Alexei, Michael, Sam, Abby, Ellis and Dawn; and numerous cousins.

Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. and a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. on Sept. 21 at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church, 5005 Wolf Road, Western Springs, Illinois. Interment will be at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 22 at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, 20953 W. Hoff Road, Elwood, Illinois