John A. Demarrais

John A. DeMarrais, age 85 years, passed away on Saturday, April 7, 2018, at his home in Pittstown, NJ.

Born in Jersey City, NJ, December 7, 1932, he was the son of the late Edward and Alva Martinson DeMarrais. John had resided in the Pittstown area fifty-five years.

He was the CEO for Lenox Hill Hospital, NYC; Hunterdon Medical Center, Flemington, NJ and lastly at Warren Hospital, Phillipsburg, NJ for twenty-seven years until retiring.

John was a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University where he excelled in running track and cross country. He later received his Master’s Degree from Columbia University School of Business. Additionally, John served in the United States Army during the Korean War from 1952 to 1954.

An avid tennis player, voracious Master Gardener and bird watcher, he was a Treasurer and Board of Director of the NJ Audubon Society and locally with the Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary in Bernardsville; Past President of the NJ Hospital Association, and member of the Sierra Club. John was also the former chairman of the Hunterdon County Parks and Recreation Commission and traveled all over the world to pursue his passion for bird watching. John was a longtime fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers as well as the NY Giants and the Indiana Hoosiers. Most recently, he had spent time sharing his love of gardening with his community by giving lectures on birds and butterflies. He was an opera aficionado, and shared his love of classical music with this wife and granddaughter.

John lived his life to fullest. Whether it was traveling with his wife to exotic locales throughout the world for birding, leading talks on butterflies, meandering through dense forests or watching Indiana basketball and the LA Dodgers, his passion and zest made the experience more fulfilling for all. He was a staunch conservationist, and supported numerous efforts to preserve open space and wildlife habitat throughout the state and country. He greatly enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and inspiring them to take stock of the natural world around them.

Surviving are his wife of fifty-nine years, Nancy Northup DeMarrais; two daughters, Christina Errickson of Hummelstown, PA and her husband Ted Errickson, Margaret DeMarrais of Sharon, CT; a son, John M. DeMarrais and his wife Jacqueline DeMarrais, of Bernardsville, NJ; his brother, Edward DeMarrais of Needham, MA.; and six grandchildren: Sarah, Ashley, Kaitlin, Emily, Griffin, and Riley.

Arrangements are private under the direction of the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ.

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