John Winecker

John Winecker, 79 of Hackettstown, NJ passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 shortly after suffering a severe stroke earlier in the week, at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Pat and his three children. Kathi Winecker and her husband David Smith of Flemington; son, John Winecker and his wife Ruth of Bynum, NC and Bill Winecker and his partner Tammy Metka of Bethlehem, PA. He leaves behind 2 grandsons, Jordan Pollera and William Winecker. John was born in East Orange, NJ to John and Ella (Gundaker) Winecker. He attended Irvington High School where he and Pat first met. He graduated from Newark College of Engineering (now NJIT) with a degree in civil engineering. After working a brief period of time for the State of NJ, he applied for a teaching position at North Hunterdon High School in Annandale NJ. Teaching math and algebra, John was a popular teacher, known for his patience and fairness. He coached both boys and girls soccer as well as lacrosse. He was a well-known presence at the school and could be found selling tickets for almost every sporting event and announcing many football games. His teaching career lasted 36 years and even after retiring, he continued to attend and support many sporting events for NHHS. His love of athletics landed him spots in the North Hunterdon Athletic Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Girls Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame. A long-time member of Clinton Baptist and Central Hunterdon Baptist church, John had roles as both deacon and treasurer and he was a faithful servant in many of the smaller, uncelebrated roles in church. His faith was unwavering. After his retirement in 1997, John volunteered at the Hunterdon Medical Center in a variety of positions. He was a supporter of the Red Cross and a regular blood donor. He enjoyed traveling with Pat and they were fortunate to visit many parts of the US and the world. After their move to Heath Village, John enjoyed playing cards with other residents. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 pm on Monday, March 19th, 2018 in the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ. Burial will follow in Union Cemetery in the Town of Clinton. Calling hours will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Sunday, March 18th in the funeral home. All are welcome to attend and celebrate John's life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the charity of your choice. Please visit www.holcombefisher.com for further information, or to send condolences.