John Duch, Former Wyckoff Education Foundation, Lacrosse Coach, Died Sunday

WYCKOFF, NJ — John Gregory Duch, 57, of Wyckoff, a former member of the Wyckoff Education Foundation and a former assistant lacrosse coach, died Sunday, his obituary states.

Duch was a graduate of Lehigh University and Seton Hall School of Law. He was a former councilman and deputy mayor of the City of Garfield. He was the public defender in Clifton, Elmwood Park, Rochelle Park and Central Bergen Municipal Court. He maintained a private law practice in Clifton and Elmwood Park. He was a member of the Bergen County Bar Association and was a volunteer arbitrator in the Passaic County Superior Court.

He was the longtime chairman of the Margaret Muscarelle Child Development Center in Garfield, a former member of the Wyckoff Education Foundation, a frequent marcher in the Pulaski Parade sponsored by St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Garfield, an active band parent at Ramapo Regional High School, and a former Assistant Lacrosse Coach for the Wyckoff Lacrosse Program.

He was co-chairman of the Slovak Heritage Festival Committee. He was a member of the Greek Catholic Union, Slovak Catholic Sokols and First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association.

He was a parishioner of St. Michael's Byzantine Catholic Cathedral in Passaic and Woodland Park where he was a member of its Holy Name Society and Rosary Society.

Duch was predeceased by his mother, Helen O. Duch and his mother-in-law Anne Paulich.

He is survived by his wife Elizabeth; children Alexandra, Gregory and Stephen; father Thomas; brother Thomas; wife Cheryl; father-in-law John; brother-in-law John Peter Paulich; sister-in-law Judy Liquori; sister-in-law Christine Kapinos and her husband James and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation is Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Bizub-Quinlan Funeral Home, 1313 Van Houten Ave., Clifton. Parastas will be Thursday at 4:30 p.m. A funeral liturgy will be Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Michael's Byzantine Catholic Cathedral, 96 First St., Passaic. Interment will follow at St. Michael Cemetery, South Hackensack.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Michael's Byzantine Catholic Church or the Sisters of St. Basil.

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