John 'Jack' Cronen

Courtesy of Mastapeter Funeral Home

John "Jack" Cronen of Bayville, died peacefully on May 9, 2018. He was 88.

He was born in East Orange. He was a resident of Bayville since 1959. His family roots are from Cork and Mayo counties of Ireland

Mr. Cronen was employed with Western Electric and its many subsidiaries. He retired from AT&T with 33 years of service.

He was an accomplished musician and an active and respected member of his community.

His memberships were many, including: Bell Labs Symphony at Murray Hill, 50th Armored Division Band, Pennsylvania State Champion with Archer Eppler Musketeers Drum and Bugle Corp, Ocean County String Band.

He was a teacher of rudimental drumming, a drum instructor with the St. Joseph's Cadets, and played in various musical trios in the Ocean County area. He was a drum instructor at St. Brendan the Navigator's Pipes and Drums of Point Pleasant, the Pipes and Drums of the Jersey Shore, and an active member of the Shamrock and Thistle Pipes and Drums.

Jack proudly served his country in the Army National Guard for seven years with the 50th Armored Division Band as a drummer. He was a communicant of St. Barnabas Church and was their first president of the Holy Name Society. He was a Charter member and Past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Council 4969 of Toms River. Also, Jack was a member of the Fourth Degree with John McMahon Assembly, and was a member and past President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and was awarded in 2002 Hibernian Man of the Year. He also belonged to the Sons of The American Legion Post 129.

Mr. Cronen was predeceased by his first wife Catherine in 2003 and by his two brothers, Robert and Richard. Surviving are his wife Josephine (Sawyer) Cronen; their children, Caren Stichter and husband Rich, Maureen (Mo) Cronen, Elizabeth (Betsy) Huhn and husband Allan, Timothy (Tim) Cronen and wife Leslie, Patrick Cronen and wife Tina, Patricia Minor, William Sawyer and wife Theresa, Brian Sawyer and wife Cheryl and Glenn Sawyer; seventeen grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren; and his brother, Rev. James Cronen, OSB.

Visiting hours will be from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 13, at the Mastapeter Funeral Home, 270 Atlantic City Blvd., Bayville. Funeral services will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Monday at the funeral home before celebrating an 11 a.m. Funeral Mass at St. Barnabas Church, Bayville. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Toms River.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Jack's memory may be made to: The ARC, Ocean County Chapter (arcocean.org); Association of the Multiple Impaired Blind (amib.net); or LADACIN Network (ladacin.org). To leave an online condolence or for further information, please visit mastapeterfuneralhome.com.

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