Obituary of John Joseph Klusick

JOHN JOSEPH KLUSICK, JR. ROCKAWAY BOROUGH John Joseph Klusick, Jr., passed away at the age of 94 on September 12, 2016. Loving husband of 74 years to the late Lois Carlyon Klusick, he is survived by his two daughters, Jennifer and her husband Jeff of Lorton, VA, and Linda of Hopatcong, NJ. Gentleman John, as he was known to his family and friends, was born on March 4, 1922 in Morristown, NJ and was the son of the late Hazel Green Kukla and John J. Klusick of Rockaway, NJ. He was a graduate of Rockaway High School and had an unquestionable knowledge of the history of Rockaway Borough. In addition to the love and devotion he had for Lois and his family, he had three other deeply held passions--his country, bowling and golf. He joined the U.S. Navy and served for three years in the Navy Air Corps in the Pacific theater during WWII. He participated in most of the theater’s major battles, staying deployed until VJ-day. He received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, signed by James Forrestal, and an Air Medal with three gold stars. He then became a proud civil servant who was completely dedicated to Picatinny Arsenal before and after retiring in 1978 with 34 years of service to his country. John’s passion for the game of bowling started at a very young age and continued throughout his life. In 1967, he achieved his perfect 300 game after a close 299 and 298. He was named Bowler of the Year for Morris County during the l966-67 season, inducted into the Morris County Bowling Hall of Fame in 1983 as the first inductee for Bowling Achievement. John and the game of bowling-- synonymous! His love for the game of golf was not only demonstrated on the “links,” but also as an active member of the Picatinny Arsenal Golf Club since 1958. He was instrumental in designing the course’s irrigation and drainage system, many of the golf holes and greens, and had previously served as Chairman of the Greens Committee. In his later years he volunteered at the Picatinny Arsenal Golf Club, showing up at 5:00am daily with his “golfing sidekicks” to prepare all of the golf carts for the day. After his retirement from Picatinny Arsenal, he and Lois became “snow birds” and spent their winter months in Boynton Beach, Florida. He was a member of the Leisureville Golf Course in Florida and also volunteered in numerous activities in his community. John served as Chairman of the Picatinny Arsenal Retirees Association of Florida and was a long-time member of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE). John, with his hat and matching attire, will be missed, never forgotten and always loved. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2016, at 10:00a-11:30a at Tuttle Funeral Home, Randolph (www.tuttlefh.com). ; Following the service, John will be laid to rest next to Lois at the First Presbyterian Church of Rockaway. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project. https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/