Dedicated Public Servant: Former Metuchen Councilman John DeFoe Dies At 83

METUCHEN, NJ – The Borough is mourning the death of longtime resident and former councilmember John DeFoe. He was 83.

In a Facebook message, Mayor Jonathan M Busch called deFoe a “dedicated public servant” and spoke about his lasting impact.

“John was a true fixture of Metuchen civic life. He served on numerous local committees, was elected to the Borough Council, and eventually became Council President. He was also one of the early visionaries behind the revitalization of our downtown, playing a key role on the Metuchen Development Commission in making our streetscape more welcoming and walkable, including championing the elegant streetlamps that help define the character of Main Street today,” Busch said.

“More recently, John served as chairman of the Metuchen Parking Authority, where he continued to apply his steady leadership and thoughtful approach to the everyday needs of our growing town.”

On behalf of the borough, Busch extended his heartfelt condolences to the DeFoe family.

“John cared deeply about Metuchen and the people who call it home. As a mark of respect, memorial bunting will be placed on Borough Hall in his honor,” Busch said.

Born on Nov. 4, 1941, in West Hartford, Connecticut, DeFoe earned his undergraduate degree from Providence College and went on to receive a master’s degree in chemistry from Yale University.

In 1967, he enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He rose to the rank of Captain and later taught chemistry at West Point before joining Pfizer, according to his obituary.

“John played a key role on the Development Committee in revitalizing downtown Metuchen, notably helping to replace industrial streetlights with more elegant fixtures that gave the town its warm, inviting charm,” his obituary said.

DeFoe was described as a “wonderful host and an extraordinary cook,” who was brilliant with puzzles and a lover of history and science.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Dorothy and his three children, Meg, Katie, and Tony.

DeFoe's funeral will be held on Tuesday.

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