John Randall Gritzan

~~John Randall Gritzan, 91, of Englewood, New Jersey, and formerly Chatham, New Jersey, died on Saturday, April 8, 2017. He was the beloved husband of Beatrice Bogardus Gritzan for 49 years until her death in 1997, and the beloved companion of Eva Kahn of Englewood for the past 14 years. A memorial service for Mr. Gritzan will be held at the Chatham United Methodist Church, 460 Main Street, Chatham, New Jersey, on Sunday, April 23, at 2:00pm, with visitation beginning at 1p.m.

As a transportation and highway engineer, Mr. Gritzan worked with the New Jersey Department of Transportation for many years before retiring in 1987. Earlier, he was New York and New England District Manager for Maryland Glass Division of Warner-Lambert Pharmaceutical Company.

Mr. Gritzan attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated from Cornell University in 1946. He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and Chi Epsilon honorary civil engineering society.

Mr. Gritzan had been a member of Kiwanis International and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Active in church work, he had been Treasurer of the Livingston Methodist Church and Chairman of the Community Interfaith Committee of the Chathams and Green Village. He had also been a Trustee, Chairman of the Missions, Finance and Stewardship Commissions and Membership Committee of the Chatham United Methodist Church, as well as Vice-Chairman of fund raising for the building of the present church sanctuary. In addition, Mr. Gritzan had been Secretary of the Chatham Township Historical Society, a member of the American Littoral Society, the New Jersey and U.S. Lighthouse Societies, and the Archaeological Institute of America, and a Trustee of the Senior Services Center of the Chathams.

A U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, he had served as an Ensign on the destroyer U.S.S. Mansfield in the Pacific.

A life-long resident of New Jersey, he had lived in Montclair, Upper Montclair, Livingston, Hanover and Chatham (where he had lived for over 50 years) before moving to Englewood in 2007. He had also owned and managed Sparta Manor Apartments and buildings in Montclair and Chatham.

Mr. Gritzan was the father of Linda Gritzan Sturgis (married to Cyrus C. Sturgis) of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Patricia Gritzan of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Kenneth Gritzan of Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. He is also survived by two grandchildren: Susan Sturgis and James Sturgis. Mr. Gritzan was also predeceased by his grandson Kurt Gritzan. Also surviving are 45 nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, great-grand-nieces and great-grand-nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish may contribute in his name to the American Cancer Society or the charity of their choice.