John Joseph Killoy
John Joseph Killoy (Jack) of Montague, N.J., age 82, long-time Principal of High Point Regional High School, passed away peacefully on May 3, 2017, at Newton Medical Center with his family at his side.
A life-long educator, Jack started as a teacher, and was later an administrator at Ridgefield High School in Ridgefield, Conn. After moving to New Jersey in 1967, he was initially the vice principal at High Point Regional High School; later becoming Principal and remaining at HPRHS for 27 years until he retired in 1994. Jack loved teaching and loved his students. He was particularly proud of having helped establish the Sussex County Interscholastic League and contributing to the development of Sussex County athletic competition.
Jack was born in Lowell, MA on Aug. 15, 1934, to Joseph F. and Mary Hewson Killoy. He graduated from Keith Academy, and was a 1956 graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a BS in geology. He was a nationally ranked swimmer and swam the backstroke in the Olympic trials during college. He later obtained a master’s degree at Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT. Jack was a Cold War veteran of the US Air Force and flew as a navigator/electronic warfare Officer with the 42d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron based in Spangdahlem, Germany. Always an avid golfer, after retiring Jack played almost daily with his circle of friends and family members. He was a past president of Port Jervis Country Club, Port Jervis, N.Y., and a member of High Point Golf Club.
Jack’s loving wife, Patricia, passed away in 2002 and his younger brother David in 2004.
He is survived by his longtime partner, Marilyn Pucillo; sister Mary Jo Munroe; sister-in-law Karen Killoy; son Chris, his wife, Liz, and their children: Andrew and his wife Tory, Ryan Marie, and Ben Killoy; son Sean, his former wife Joanne Mitchell and their children: Erin and her husband, Jeff Walton, Kaitlin, her partner Steve Parke and their children: Abby and Aidan Killoy and Zaine and Alivia Parke; and youngest son, Brian, his wife, Karen, and their daughter Breanna; and many nieces and nephews. Additionally, he leaves hundreds of former faculty and staff, thousands of former students, and roughly 100 putters, all of which he claimed were defective.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on May 27, 2017, at High Point Golf Club, 342 Shore Drive, Montague, NJ. (www.highpointgolfclub.com)
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to one of the following charities: American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org)
Roswell Park Cancer Institute via the Empire State Ride. Jack’s son Sean will be riding in his honor. (www.tinyurl.com/k2fjs56) and The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org).
Funeral arrangements entrusted to Ferguson-Vernon Funeral Home, Vernon, NJ. For directions and condolences please see www.fergusonfuneralhomesnj.com.