John M. Martin, 93, Vero Beach
With sorrow in our hearts, the family of John “Jack” M. Martin, 93, announces his passing on Sept. 16, 2020, in Vero Beach after a valiant fight following a short hospitalization.
We have lost our rock. Jack was devoted to his wife and family. He provided us with the support, strength, advice, moral compass and humor we each needed to flourish in the good times, weather the bad times, grow ever stronger as a family, and always, always know that we were loved.
Jack was born on June 16, 1927 in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he grew up. After high school, he served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army at the end of WWII and, after his discharge in 1947, in the Army Reserves.
In 1951 he graduated from Duquesne University with a Bachelor’s degree in Education. Despite Jean growing up only three miles from him in Pittsburgh and their families knowing one another, it wasn’t until 1948 that Jack met her at a church dance.
After a three-year courtship, they married in 1951. In that same year Jack began a rewarding 34-year management career with United Parcel Service which included a 1959 relocation from Pittsburgh to New York City.
At that time, they settled into the New Jersey suburb of Dumont, where he and Jean raised their four children. During his career, Jack travelled the U.S. extensively, but still managed to participate in activities at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, including the choir, and to support family members with their school, social, and athletic activities.
Jack was fortunate to take early retirement in 1986 and he and Jean relocated to Tobyhanna, Pa., where they attended St. Ann’s Catholic Church and were members of the Pocono Farms Country Club.
For over 25 years, they also spent some of the winter months on their favorite island, Barbados, where they developed many wonderful, lasting friendships.
In 1998, he and Jean bought their house in the Bent Pine Golf Club community in Vero Beach, where they enjoyed many fun years as golf, and later, social members.
During that time they were parishioners of St. Helen Catholic Church. In 2011, they quit the ‘snowbird’ life to live in Vero Beach full time. In 2017, they relocated to the Indian River Estates ACTS retirement community in Vero and became parishioners of St. John of the Cross Catholic Church.
Over the years, they enjoyed and generously supported the theater, symphony, art museum and a variety of charitable causes in Vero Beach.
Jack enjoyed playing tennis and then golf in his retirement years. Until recently, he went to the gym twice a week and prided himself on being able, at 92, to do a 2-minute plank.
He was an avid reader and book collector, particularly of military history, and always had a book close by. He loved words and had editorial responsibilities for a company newsletter at an early point in his career, one of many occasions when he put his writing skills to work. He was an expert at crossword puzzles.
In retirement, he and Jean enjoyed traveling the U.S. and the world and made it a point to pass on the travel bug to their grandchildren by taking them to Alaska and Europe. In 2011, Jack took all the Martin men on a very memorable military history trip to Europe. We all have wonderful memories of our annual summer family get togethers in upstate New York as well.
Jack was a strong but gentle man with a deep voice that he famously used to soothe even the fussiest of his young grandchildren. He was a good listener. He was kind and generous in his own unassuming way, always looking to provide support while ducking any associated fanfare or accolades. He was a relatively private person, but he treasured the friendships he had throughout the course of his life.
He is survived by the love of his life and wife of nearly 69 years, Mary “Jean” (Buehler); sons, Michael (Jennifer), of Vienna, Va., and Kenny (Barbarann), of Knoxville, Tenn.; and daughters Elaine Tekerian (Armen), of Ramsey, N.J., and Kathy Martin, of Vero Beach. He was the proud grandfather “Pop Pop” of Jeffrey (Christine Bolon) and Timothy (Lisa Weckstein) Martin; Joseph, Alexander, and Daniel Tekerian; and Shane, Reagan, and Brynn Martin. He was thrilled at the birth of his first great-grandchild, Tim and Lisa’s son Edward Martin, a year ago. Jack is also survived by his younger sister, Eileen Glamp of Columbia, S. Ca.
His parents, Florence and John Martin; and his younger brother, James Martin, all of Pittsburgh, Pa., pre-deceased him.
A Catholic funeral mass and interment will take place in his beloved Pittsburgh once the COVID virus has passed and we can safely gather together to celebrate Jack’s wonderful life and legacy.
Donations in his memory can be made to the Cleveland Clinic Indian River Foundation www.ClevelandClinicIRFoundation.org or to the Indian River Estates Samaritan Fund.
Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach.
Jean Margaret Paige, 77, Vero Beach
Jean Margaret Paige, 77, of Vero Beach, passed away Sept. 16, 2020. Born Dec. 19, 1942, at Brockton, Mass., she was a daughter of the late William Smith and Margaret Buckley Smith.
Jean was a member of St. Helen Catholic Church. Her family was her greatest joy, especially her grandchildren.
Jean is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, James Paige, to whom she was married Nov. 23, 1962; a daughter, Karen Northup (husband, Phil), and their daughters, Savannah and Sydney; a son, James Paige, Jr. (wife, Kris), and their children, James, Brandon, Madeleine, Mary Kate, Logan Lily Grace; five siblings, Sally, Rosemary, Lawrence, Gerald and John; and many other loving family and friends.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by six siblings, William, Richard, Robert, Elizabeth, Patricia and James.
Services are to be private with Interment in Cape Canaveral National Cemetery.
Nancy L. Pascarelli, 88, Vero Beach
Nancy L. Pascarelli, 88, of Vero Beach, peacefully passed away on Sept. 12, 2020. She was born June 21, 1932, in Mineola, N.Y., to parents, Joseph and Louise Posantz Kullmann, exactly four months after her husband to be, Frank, was born in the same hospital.
They became high school sweet hearts and married shortly after Frank graduated from college, during which time Nancy worked for Doubleday in NYC.
Shortly after their marriage in June 1954, Frank was drafted and stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. Nancy followed her husband to Germany where their first son, Paul, was born. Their second son, Todd, was born on Long Island a few years later.
Nancy was a dedicated mother only working again after her youngest son left for college.
In 1992, Frank and Nancy retired and moved to Florida. Nancy worked as an administrator at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Vero Beach, which she retired from in 1999.
Mrs. Pascarelli is survived by her sons, Paul J. Pascarelli, an architect, (wife, Terry), of Atlanta, Ga., and Todd D. Pascarelli, M.D. (wife, Pam) of Mahwah, N.J., and her much loved granddaughters, Christina and Gabriella.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Louise Kullmann; and her husband of 61 years, Frank T. Pascarelli.
A Memorial Service will be held in the Chapel of Indian River Estates West, 7720 Indian Oaks Drive, Vero Beach, when we are all able to gather together again.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Acts Mission Foundation Fund, 7730 Indian Oaks Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32966, “In Memory of Nancy Pascarelli.”
