Obituary of John Alexander Williams

John Alexander Williams of Whiting, New Jersey entered eternal life on December 15, 2020 after a long battle with cancer. “Jack” was born November 13, 1931 in Manhattan. He was raised in the Bronx, New York and lived in Castle Hill, Highbridge and Morris Park neighborhoods. He was very proud of his Irish and English heritage having marched in the New York St. Patrick’s Day parade with his alma mater Cardinal Hayes High School. Upon graduation from high school he enlisted in the United States Navy where he served in the Korean War as a Medical Corpsman aboard the hospital ship USS Repose. His dedication lasted four years and he was awarded the Korean Service Medal, United Nations Medal as well as the National Defense Medal. Upon returning from active service, he briefly resided in Levittown, Pennsylvania and subsequently moved back to the Bronx after battling polio. . Jack worked his entire life in the banking industry as a Mortgage Advisor and Servicer with banks such as Dollar Savings Bank, Dollar Dry Dock, Seaman’s Bank for Savings as well as several smaller mortgage servicing firms. He was an educator in his own right always teaching love, respect, honesty, and perseverance. His smile lit up the room and his laughter was contagious. He was a great contributor to numerous charities as he always was looking to help others. Precision, determination, and organization were a strong backbone of his makeup. Nothing made him happier than receiving cards on his birthday and holidays which he saved and treasured. His day was not complete until he read the entire morning paper and watched the morning and evening news. He loved music including classics from the big band era and his favorite Frank Sinatra. Jack had a profound love for his country and regaled all naval and aviator information. He enjoyed photography, reading, hunting and model building. He was a history buff and was a wizard on any military topic which he showcased answering questions from Jeopardy. Later in life he again traveled by ship, this time as a civilian enjoying multiple vacation cruises. He loved to tinker and could fix anything whether mechanical or electrical. Most importantly he held a deep sense of responsibility for all his family members. He leaves behind his former wife, Hope K. Williams and their four children, John M. Williams (Mary), Alice M. Senno (Randy), James P. Williams (Janice), Patrick R. Williams (Kimiko); his partner, Diane Gaveglia and her sons, Thomas and John Gaveglia. He leaves behind his “foster” children, Doris Olivo (Ralph), Donna Schafer (Bruce); his four nieces, Diane Peterkin, Kathleen Davis, Maureen Peterkin and Cecelia Martin; his grandchildren, Jennifer Clarke, Lisa Fitzsimmons, Siobhan Maddalena, Jacqueline Feeks, Eric Senno, Rebecca Taylor, Michael O’Neill, Candace Senno, Sean Williams, Ryan Williams, Dylan Williams, Steven Williams and his “foster” grandchildren, Dana Montes, Tracy Brown, Victoria and Claudia Schafer; his great-grandchildren, Emma, Shawn, Olivia, Aidan, Lucy, Elora, Mack, Randy, Theresa, Erica, Sierra and Lyric and his “foster” great-grandchildren, Eve, Grace, William and Julia. He is preceded in death by his father, John Richard Williams, his mother, Kathleen Williams (Finegan), his sister, Una Peterkin (Gene), brother-in-law, Gene Peterkin, nephews, Eugene Peterkin, Bobby Peterkin, uncles, Reggie and Alex Williams, his longtime partner, Patricia Gavaris and his, daughter, Patricia (Patty) Williams. Sincere thanks and gratitude extended to his “Darling” partner, Diane Gaveglia for her loving care during his final months. Viewing will be on Sunday, December 20, from 12 pm to 2 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm at Manchester Memorial Funeral Home 28 Schoolhouse Road Whiting. Funeral service will be held at 4:30 pm in the funeral home. Burial will be on Monday, December 21, 2:30 pm in Calverton National Cemetery 210 Princeton Boulevard, Calverton, New York 11933. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jack’s name to the American Lung Association would be greatly appreciated by his family.