Jackson Bigler Alleger

Jackson “Jack” Bigler Alleger, age 93, died Thursday, February 25, 2021, at his home in Raritan Township NJ. He was a lifelong Flemington area resident.

Jack was born the son of the late George Wesley and Luella Rittenhouse Alleger on September 6, 1927 in his family home on Bonnell Street in Flemington – a house owned by the Alleger’s since its construction in 1900. Jack’s mother, Luella, was the organist for the Flemington Baptist Church for many years. Currently, Jack was the oldest living congregant of the Church.

Jack began government work while in high school helping to guard German and Italian POWs at the Belle Mead Army Depot in NJ. Shortly after graduating from Flemington High School in 1945, Jack was drafted into the United States Army. His two brothers, George and Bill, preceded him into the service having been drafted directly from High School. Jack was trained at the U.S. Army Armor School, Disney Barracks, Fort Knox, KY where he learned to operate the ground breaking M26 Pershing tank. Jack’s state side service as a Tank Crewman in the 70th Tank Battalion included duty where he “instructed men how to drive and operate tank.” Jack was honorably discharged and separated from Fort Knox Kentucky the day after Christmas, 26 December 1946.

Jack married Agnes Roth and they recently celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary. Having built their own home on Thatchers Hill in Raritan Township in the 1950’s, Agnes fondly remembers him sitting amongst an array of loose parts assembling the new home’s oil furnace from a mail order kit.

For many years, he was the production manager of the Hunterdon County Democrat and manager of The Democrat Press. He was one of the founding members of the Hunterdon County Polytech and was awarded an Honorary Membership into the National Technical Honor Society for his service on its Board of Directors. Jack was a printer by trade; he was involved in the production of The Wall Street Journal for Dow Jones Inc. for over 20 years, retiring in October of 1987. He was also a former member and past president of the Flemington Kiwanis Club.

Jack and his beautiful wife, Agnes, were avid world travelers visiting such distant locales as Hawaii, Ireland, China, Russia, Finland, Denmark, Spain, Thailand, the Golden Triangle, Egypt, many European countries, including Greece, Turkey, and France, and they voyaged on the Queen Mary 2 on her maiden trip.

Jack was a season ticket holder of the Rutgers University Football team and he loved to attend games with his sons, Joel and Jackson. He particularly loved to watch the New York Football Giants. Having been a Printer for most of his life, it seemed that he could only read the written word by the column inch. He was therefore not terribly fond of books, but he read the Wall Street Journal religiously.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his three siblings, George Alleger, Charles Willard Alleger, and Jeanette Kroeger. He is survived by his wife, Agnes Roth Alleger, his two sons and daughters-in-law, Jackson Roth Alleger and his wife, Lynne of Flemington NJ, and Joel Rittenhouse Alleger, and his wife Sueann of Frenchtown NJ, his six grandchildren, Clinton, Sean, Gareth, Keith, Colin, and Kyle, and his eight great-grandchildren, Jackson, Rylan, Mason, Isabel, Olivia, Avery, Evie, and Giuliana.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, March 5, 2021 at the Flemington Baptist Church, 170 Main Street, Flemington NJ. Interment will follow in St. Magdalen Cemetery in Flemington. Calling hours will be on Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hunterdon Hospice, 215 Route 31, Flemington NJ 08822.

For further information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.holcombefisher.com.