John (Jack) Pendergast

John Patrick Pendergast, a long-time resident of Pearl River, NY, passed away peacefully at his home on May 28th. He was 91 years old.

Jack, as he was known by all, was proudly born and raised in the Bronx where he attended St. Anselm’s Grammar School. He received a full scholarship for drumming to All Hallows High School from which he graduated in 1950.  He went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. He achieved the rank of Sergeant and was honorably discharged in 1953.  Jack graduated from St. John’s University in Jamaica, Queens  in 1957 with a degree in Business Administration.

Jack began his career in sales at Allstate Insurance and later moved to SeaLand Shipping where he achieved great success over a twenty-five year career.

He met his wife, Helen, at The Shamrock House in the Catskills when she agreed to dance with him.  They married in 1959 and resided in Flushing, Queens for several years before moving north to Pearl River in 1968.

Jack was a long-standing member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 3, American Legion and The Elks of Pearl River, each for over fifty years. He was an accomplished button accordion player and was also a drummer in The Regimental Fife and Drum Corp. Notably, Jack was a co-founder of the Rockland County Feis in 1974 and remained active for the next decade. Most recently, he was a volunteer at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ from 2013-2020 where he transported patients, nearly all of whom were younger than he was.

Jack was a true gentleman. He thought of others before himself, was kind, unassuming and always had a story to tell.  Jack cherished keeping his Irish heritage alive through music, service and family. He was proud to march in the NYC St. Patrick’s Day parade and did so for more than 70 consecutive years.  He most enjoyed spending time with his eleven grandchildren. He was a fixture at all of their events whether it was school, music, or sports-related. 

Jack is survived by his wife Helen and children Jack (Madonna), Kathleen Valentine (Joe), James (Jeanne), Eileen Burke (Paul) and Maureen Vejnoska (Jay) as well as grandchildren, John, Ryan, Matthew, Brendan, Danny, Timmy, Patrick, Katie, Owen, Michael and Emma. He is also survived by his brother Dan (Betty).  He is predeceased by his son, Martin and his parents, Nellie and Martin.

Visitation will be held Friday, June 2, 2023 from 9-10:30am at Wyman-Fisher Funeral Home, 100 Franklin Ave, Pearl River, NY.  A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11am at St. Margaret of Antioch Church, Pearl River, NY.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Jack’s memory to The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ. www.valleyhospitalfoundation.org

The funeral mass may be viewed at  https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/9186341680 

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