Obituary of John Henry Hoare, Jr.

John H. Hoare, Jr. died peacefully in the care of hospice on June 6, 2021 after taking a fall. He was born December 20, 1934 to parents Mabel Goltry Hoare and John H. Hoare, Sr. in Montour Falls, NY and grew up in Watkins Glen, NY. He loved his hometown and was proud to have sold programs for the very first Grand Prix hosted by the village in 1948. As a youth, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). When he earned his Eagle Scout Award, he received the ultimate honor of being invited to the Oval Office to be congratulated by President Harry S. Truman. John graduated from Watkins Glen High School in 1952 where he held the student office of Senior Class President. He attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY where he graduated with both a BA in Economics in 1956 and an MBA in 1957. While a student, he was a brother in Acacia Fraternity and played in the Big Red Marching Band. John also passed the rigorous try-outs to become a Chimesmaster, playing daily concerts on the chimes console in the McGraw Bell Tower for all to hear on the Cornell Campus. He has since served on the Chimes Advisory Council and loved getting to know the current day Chimesmasters. While John was still in high school, he met the love of his life, Mary Jane Wickham. They were married on June 29, 1957. With Mary Jane dying just two months ago, they were a couple for over 70 years, spending 63 years as husband and wife. Together they raised a family of three children and owned homes in Corning, NY, Bloomfield, NJ, Penfield, NY, and Basking Ridge, NJ. Upon their retirement, they downsized to a townhouse in Bridgewater, NJ while spending their summers at their lake house on Seneca Lake in Hector, NY. In 2017, they moved back to Basking Ridge and into Fellowship Village which provided them both with a comfortable place to live out their final years together amongst many old and new friends. John had a very strong work ethic and enjoyed his life-long career as a Certified Public Accountant. His first job out of college was with Corning Glass in Corning, NY. He was then hired by Price Waterhouse (Coopers) and worked for them in their offices in New York City and Rochester, NY. After a short time with Bessemer Trust Co., he started his own business, John H. Hoare, PC in 1978 in New York City, specializing in oil and gas partnership taxation. In the midst of his busy work life, John always found it important to be an active citizen and faithful church member. In Basking Ridge, he was a member of the Bernards Township Parks and Recreation Committee and the Board of Health. He served on the Planning Board for 10 years as Vice Chairman under Harry Dunham. He was the treasurer for the Boy Scout Troop 54 (Liberty Corner) and coached softball in the Bernards Township Recreation League. John was active member of the Presbyterian Church USA his whole life. He was an ordained Elder and treasurer in the Penfield Presbyterian Church and served on the Rochester Area Council of Churches. In 1971, he was delegate to the Presbyterian General Assembly (a national gathering). After joining The Presbyterian Church in Basking Ridge in 1974, John served in a variety of volunteer positions including greeter, collections team member, and as a long-time delegate to the Elizabeth Presbytery. John is survived by his daughter Elizabeth Cowles (Richard), son John (Sherry), and daughter Kimberly, his grandchildren Shannon Martin, Andrew Hoare (Tiana), Erin Cowles Niehoff (Matthew), Kasey Hoare, Alyssa Cowles Blachez (Paul) and Jessica Hoare, great-grandson Henry, his brother- and sister-in-law Fred and Sheila Wilten, several nieces and nephews, and their families. He as predeceased by his wife Mary Jane, his sister Margaret and his daughter-in-law Kimberly Boquist Hoare. The family will be holding a graveside service to inter the ashes of John and Mary Jane at the Hector Presbyterian Church in Hector, NY at 1:30pm on Saturday, June 12. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make a memorial contribution to The Presbyterian Church in Basking Ridge, NJ, the Cornell Chimes General Fund, or the Hector Presbyterian Church in Hector, NY.