Obituary of John F. McGourty

John F. McGourty, Sr.Retired New Jersey State Police Captain; Father of 10John F. McGourty, Sr., passed away peacefully at his home in Cokesbury, N.J. on Thursday, March 5, after a long illness. John was born in High Bridge on December 19, 1924, to Patrick J. McGourty and Rose Dolan.John is survived by his wife of 61 years, Leona, 9 children, 27 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Surviving are John, Jr., and his wife, Kathleen, of Clinton Township; Eileen Herrell and her husband, William, of Patterson, N.Y.; Theresa Uvino and her husband, Joseph, of Califon; Edward, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; Marian and her husband, Bruce, of Stamford, Ct; Leon and his wife, Patricia, of Pittstown; Vincent and his wife, Kassy, of Bethlehem Township; Josette Grimaldi and her husband, Keith, of Stamford, Ct.; Thomas and his wife, Tara, of Bethlehem Township. The couple also had a daughter, Christina, who was deceased at a young age. He is also survived by his brother, Joseph, of Denver, Colorado. Two brothers and three sisters passed before him.John was well-known for his love of family, adoration for God and the Catholic Church, and unwavering dedication to New Jersey law enforcement .A lifetime Hunterdon County resident, John attended High Bridge High School and served in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II. Following his military service, he joined the New Jersey State Police, where he served as an instructor in the New Jersey State Police Academy and rose to the position of Captain, during his distinguished 28-year career. His two sons, John Jr. (retired) and Tom, have carried on this tradition as New Jersey State Troopers, in addition to his grandson, John David. John was Past President of the Former New Jersey State Troopers Association.John was a devout member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, where he attended daily mass, served as a Eucharistic Minister and was active in New Jersey Right to Life. He also was an avid supporter of North Hunterdon High School athletics, serving as President of both the Wrestling Club and Booster Club. In this role, he galvanized local support and funding toward erecting lights at the high school football field for the first time.Those who knew John will always remember his strong spirit, passion for travel and Irish culture, capacity for storytelling, and respect for clean living. He was an avid runner and until recently, participated annually in the Sprintin Clinton race. John sang with the Hunterdon County Senior Chorus, never missed daily mass, a North Hunterdon High School wrestling match, or his grandchildrens school and sporting events.John left his family a legacy that will continue to live on in all of us. To coin a phrase often used with fondness to describe friends and colleagues who had gone before him, Lord, Have Mercy on Him.Friends may visit with the family on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Kearns Funeral Home in Whitehouse, N.J., with the Rite of Christian Burial taking place at 10 a.m. on Monday at Immaculate Conception Church in Annandale, N.J. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Immaculate Conception Church, P.O. Box 5400 Clinton, NJ 08809 or Hunterdon Hospice, 2100 Wescott Drive, Flemington, NJ 08822.For more information or to send condolences please visit www.kearnsfuneralhome.com