Montclair Proclamation Honors John ‘Jack’ Anderson (WATCH)

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Montclair Town Council presented a proclamation in honor of John “Jack” Anderson at their meeting this week.

Anderson was active with one of New Jersey’s oldest social clubs, the Commonwealth Club of Upper Montclair. He died on Feb. 22 at the age of 99.

The proclamation reads:

WHEREAS, John Laing “Jack” Anderson was born on August 4th,1925 in Montclair, New Jersey, the youngest of four children. His mother, Mary, was born in Scotland and his father, Robert, in Pennsylvania. Jack graduated from Montclair High in 1943 and enlisted in the United States Coast Guard; and

WHEREAS, during the war he served on a troop transport ship in the Atlantic heading for Italy, just as the war in Europe was ending. The troop transport was refitted as a hospital ship and Jack helped bring 8,000 wounded combatants back home. Jack was reassigned to the Pacific theater where he was placed on a munitions/refueling ship on its way to Japan. While 200 miles off the Japanese coast, the atomic bombs were dropped and that war was over. He spent time in Hawaii and Long Beach before his discharge in 1946; and

WHEREAS, after a year at Seton Hall on the GI Bill, Jack got a job at the Retail Credit Corporation (now Equifax) and never looked back. He married a fellow big band enthusiast, Mary Boyce, also of Montclair, in 1950, and settled in Bloomfield. Over the next nine years six children were born, John, Jean, Mary Louise, Rosemary, David and Paul. Six years later, Eileen came along; and

WHEREAS, in 1957, Jack joined the Commonwealth Club of Upper Montclair, which quickly became his home away from home. Jack became very active in the workings of the club and served on the board of trustees and as an officer for many terms. He was president when a fire gutted the back half of the Club in 1985, and he led the recovery efforts, which resulted in selling off the Valley Road side of the Club property, which created the investment account that is still used today; and

WHEREAS, Jack remained the heart and soul of the organization he loved, long into his nineties. His name adorns most of the award plaques for tournaments won over the years and is considered the beloved GOAT by the membership. The annual Turkey Shoot Tournament was renamed in his honor a few years ago and he will never be forgotten by anyone who ever met him; and

WHEREAS, Jack was pre-deceased by his wife of nearly 70 years, Mary; his son, David, his brothers, Gordon and Don and his sister, Marge. Special thanks to Eileen and Louie, who lived with and cared for him over the last five years so that he would have a home without being in one. He is survived by son John (Monica), daughters Jean, Louie, Rosemary, Eileen and son Paul (Penny). He has seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

NOW THEREFORE, the Mayor and Council of the Township of Montclair, mourns the passing of John L. “Jack” Anderson, and joins with his family, friends and fellow Montclair residents in recognizing his myriad accomplishments.

First Ward Councilor Erik D’Amato read the proclamation at Tuesday’s council meeting. Watch footage below (video is cued to the presentation):

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