John F. Croft
AGE: 84 • Fair Haven

John F. "Jack" Croft, 84, a 64 year Fair Haven resident passed away Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014 at Riverview Medical Center. Jack was born in Little Silver to Leroy and Bessie (Francis) Croft.

He attended Red Bank High School. He began his work life at Ross' Farm near Sickles in Little Silver. He was also employed by JH Kelly Co. in Red Bank before moving on to Research and Development at Fort Monmouth as a self-taught electronics engineer.

Jack retired from Ft. Monmouth in 1976 after more than 20 years of service. He was a 35 year member of the Fair Haven Fire Dept. Additionally, he served on the Fire Police, was a member of the 50th Armored Division of the NJ National Guard, a volunteer with Fair Haven 6th grade outdoor education and a longtime communicant of Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven.

In his spare time Jack enjoyed spending time with his family, photography, tinkering with everything electronic and being a HAM radio operator.

Jack was predeceased by his parents; his brother, Leroy Jr. and his sister, Audrey Jane Seideman. He is survived by his devoted wife of 63 years, Jane A. (Doughty) Croft; sons, John F. Jr. and wife Kathy of Silver Spring, MD, Steven J. and wife Cathy of Lake Hopatcong, NJ, David P. and wife Sandra M. of Middletown, NJ and Paul J. and wife Kathleen of Fords, NJ; daughters, Lynn Hervilly and husband Jean of Fair Haven, NJ, Karen Martin and husband John of Freehold, NJ, Mary Croft and partner Jessica Hedler of Maricopa, AZ and Florence Milutinovic and husband Jim of State College, PA; grandchildren, John III, Carol, Taylor, Stephanie, Sophie, Matthew, Brian, Jessica, Ryan, Andrew, Kevin, Mark, Erin, Maureen and Jack; great-grandchildren, Cole and Jaden and his sister-in-law, Mary A. Hedge of Lakewood.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 10th from 6-8pm and Thursday, September 11th from 9-10am at John E. Day Funeral Home, 85 Riverside Avenue, Red Bank, NJ. 07701. A funeral home service will take place at 10 am. Burial Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Middletown. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Fair Haven Fire Dept., 645 River Road, Fair Haven, NJ 07704, or, VNA of Central Jersey, 141 Bodman Place, Red Bank, NJ 07701.

Please visit John's memorial website available at www.johnedayfuneralhome.com.

Published in Asbury Park Press on Sept. 9, 2014