IN MEMORIAM

John Willies Jr., 94; Father,

Banker, Friend To Mankind

COOPERSTOWN – John Willies Jr., formerly of West Orange, N.J., and most recently The Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home passed peacefully from this life to the next on March 12, 2018.  He was 94.

He was a much-loved only child, husband, father, uncle, grandpa, great-grandpa and dear friend to many.

Born June 28, 1923, in Newark, he was the son of the late John and Helen M. (Burnett) Willies of West Orange. After graduating from West Orange High School in 1941, John was employed by Thomas A. Edison, Inc. until November 1942, when he enlisted in the Navy. John was honorably discharged from duty in December 1945 as a pharmacist’s mate second class.

On Sept. 14, 1944, while still in the Navy, John married the love of his life, Muriel “Joy” Broyer, who predeceased him on April 14, 2017, after 72 “Joy-filled” years of marriage. Together they shared a remarkable life that mirrored so many of their peers that comprise the “Greatest Generation.”

The Great Depression and WWII ingrained frugality in their generation but they took it to an extreme. As friends & family will attest, they were reducing, reusing and recycling throughout their lives. Although they did not have much, they never wanted for anything and always had enough to willingly share with others.

A testimony to both their frugality and their generosity is that in 1948 when John was earning a whopping $180 per month before tax and paying $30 per month for veteran housing on Victory Road in West Orange, the remaining $130 covered everything else, including both tithing and savings that they religiously budgeted from Day One.

The biggest beneficiaries of this selfless lifestyle are their children who were afforded the opportunity to attend college debt free, a truly remarkable and life-changing gift for which we will be forever grateful.

Their first child, Carolyn Joy, was born in 1946, followed by four sons with three in quick succession (Doug 3/1/50; Alan 3/15/51, and Brian 8/5/52) and the last pleasant surprise belatedly arriving on 2/7/59 (Kevin).

In parallel with building a family, in 1946 John commenced his career in banking with The First National Bank of West Orange, where he spent his entire career, albeit through mergers and acquisitions, the name changed to, among others, National Newark and Essex and Midlantic with the most recent incarnation being PNC Bank, from which he retired in 1985.

His 40-year banking career began as a clerk earning $125 per month and progressed to a vice president entrusted with managing branches in East Orange (Brick Church), Millburn, the Newark Home Office and West Orange.

His banking successes were in large part due to a strong commitment to higher education. While in the midst of starting a family, John attended the American Institute of Banking earning a Pre-Standard Certificate in 1948 and a Graduate Certificate in 1953 (with Honors in both Bank Administration and Every Day Speech).

In 1956 John earned a graduate degree from the American Bankers Association Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University and then was recognized by his peers and served as president of the Essex County Chapter of the American Institute of Banking.

This commitment to higher education was both temporal and spiritual. His Christian walk was broadened in 1977 when John completed two years of The Bethel Series, an intensive study in both the Old and New Testaments. He was certified to teach adult Bible studies which he did for many years at the Pleasantdale Presbyterian Church, West Orange, where he was a long-time member serving in many capacities with both energy and enthusiasm. Along the way he also found the time to provide guidance to the West Orange Public Library and YMCA where he served many years as trustee/director.

In 1998, both John & Joy (affectionately referred to in the singular ‘Joyhn’ by son Brian) were jointly recognized as Outstanding Senior Citizens for their effort to improve the quality of life for older adults.

While John’s most visible contribution to the betterment of mankind may be his compulsive collection of aluminum can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House, which provides lodging and support for parents during a child’s hospital stay, the gift our parents were most proud of was their lifelong commitment to donating blood. In 2007, when they were both well north of age 80, they were recognized by The Blood Center of New Jersey for collectively giving 37 gallons of blood!

Always polite, giving, appreciative, never complaining about anything (that was Joy’s job!) and gracious (although he did not lose graciously at RumiKub)!! A gifted crossword aficionado he maintained a sharp mind, quick wit and sense of humor right up to his passing.

John/Dad/Uncle/Grandpa/Great Grandpa, you are loved and will be sorely missed.

As an only child John was blessed with a wife who helped provide all the family and friends one could wish for. John was predeceased by his parents and beloved daughter Carolyn Joy Willies.

John is survived by his four sons: Douglas Willies and wife, Rhonda of Cooperstown; Alan Willies of Key West, Fla.; Brian Willies of Montclair, N.J.; and Kevin Willies and wife Maureen of York, N.Y.

Four grandchildren: Deidre Willies and husband Vincent Berk of Lyme, N.H.; Cheryl Willies and husband Andrew Fargher of Jupiter, Fla.; Keegan Willies of Leicester, N.Y.; and Jessica Willies of New Hartford, N.Y.

Four great-grandchildren: Madelyn and Genevieve Berk of Lyme, N.H. and Sage and Jade Fargher of Jupiter, Fla.

In addition to their five children, Joy also provided the siblings that he never had. The Broyer clan embraced him as one of their own, for which he was eternally grateful. John is also survived by his much-loved adopted siblings and their many children: Eva Henderson of Novelty, Ohio; Barbara Skelly of Red Bank, N.J.; and brothers Paul Broyer and wife Margie of Palm Coast, Fla.; and Edward Broyer and wife Nancy of Little Egg Harbor, N.J.

And our ‘second families’ of Lorraine Williams of Denville and Irene Byers of West Orange.

Arrangements are under the guidance of Tillapaugh Funeral Service, Cooperstown.