Plan for the Future
~~John Robert “Jack” Strangfeld
John Robert Strangfeld Sr., 93, of Chatham, died at Overlook Hospital on February 1, 2017. Memorial visiting hours will be held at Wm. A. Bradley & Son Funeral Home, 345 Main St. in Chatham, NJ on Saturday, February 4th from 3 to 6pm. A Memorial Service will be held at Chatham United Methodist Church, 460 Main St, also in Chatham, on Tuesday, February 7th at 11:00am. For full obituary or to send a condolence, please visit www.www.bradleyfuneralhomes.com.
Jack was born in Paterson on June 23, 1923, the son of Clemens W and Augusta Hasselbach Strangfeld of Allendale. He married Jane Anne Lawlin on May 28, 1949 in Allendale. They have lived in Chatham for the last fifty years.
Jack graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point in 1944 and served in the Merchant Marine in World War II, then worked as a manager in the maritime industry in New York and Baltimore for his entire career. He was an active member of the Dennis Roland chapter of the U. S. Merchant Marine Veterans Association, for which he produced an excellent newsletter summarizing maritime news and issues.
Jack was an active member of the Ridgewood Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company for decades, starting as a teenager and then resuming from the 1980s to 2013, appearing in many roles in many performances and directing for several years. He also sang in the choir for many years at Chatham United Methodist Church and earlier at Archer Memorial Church in Allendale. In the late 1960’s he was scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 23 at the Chatham United Methodist Church.
Jack was a volunteer tour guide and speaker for the Seeing Eye for more than twenty years, and he and Jane together raised ten Seeing Eye puppies. His many other volunteer activities included tutoring and delivering meals on wheels.
Along with his wife Jane, he is survived by Christine (Pat) Rigney of Millsboro, Delaware, John (Mary Kay) Strangfeld of Bernardsville, Richard (Donna) Strangfeld of Herndon, Virginia, and Sarah (Brad) Horne of Denver, Colorado, as well as eleven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Jack had a long and active life that touched the lives of many other people. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Seeing Eye, Inc., 10 Washington Valley Rd, Morristown, NJ 07960