JOHN J. "BUD" CONKLIN JR.
AGE: 78 RUMSON
John J. "Bud" Conklin Jr., 78, of Rumson, formerly of Little Silver and Colts Neck, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009, in his home. He was born Aug. 15, 1930 in Brooklyn, N.Y. John was predeceased by his parents, John J. Conklin Sr. and Mary Connelly; his sister, Ann; and his son, Jerry who passed away in 2001. He graduated from Villanova University with honors in Civil Engineering, was a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and later became a senior partner for Conklin, Cahill and Co., a NYSE specialist firm, in New York City. John was appointed to the Rumson Planning Board in 1978 and was then appointed to the Borough Council in 1989, where he served with great dedication. John first served as the Borough Council Chairman of the Sanitation Committee in 1990 and 1991 until he became Fire and First Aid Commissioner in 1992, where he served for 15 years. He was a long standing member and former Vice-Chairman of the Police Committee throughout his term on the Borough Council. John was Rumson's representative to the Navesink River Municipalities Committee since it's inception, and worked to protect and improve the navigability and water quality of the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers. In addition, John Conklin served as the Mayoral substitute member of the Planning Board from 2000 through 2005. Demonstrating a sincere interest in the Borough of Rumson, John also served as a member of the Rumson Committee Appeal and a member of the Holy Cross School Board of Education. John's true calling proved to be in the securities industry of Wall Street, where he became a third generation member of the New York Stock Exchange. He served in the prestigious position of Governor of the New York Stock Exchange and Director of the New York Futures Exchange as well as many other esteemed committees. He enjoyed a long and successful career, retiring in 1989. John was a volunteer for Our Lady Visitors and was deeply passionate about bringing the Holy Eucharist to the Nursing Home and River View Medical Center. He also had a great love for the outdoors, including skiing, cycling and boating. John made the time from his busy schedule throughout his life to assist those in need; his kindness, generosity, compassion, humility, strong faith and great courage are the essence and character of John Conklin, a man of honor and integrity.
He will always be loved, remembered and deeply missed by his wife of 53 years, Lucille Blanchet Conklin; his son, John J. Conklin III and his wife Jennifer of Rumson; his daughters, Lucille M. Conklin and Tina Cressent of White Plains, N.Y., Claire O'Donnell and her husband Edward of Mendham, Cynthia Conklin-Hull of Rumson, Suzanne Schissler and her husband Thomas of Fair Haven, and Karen Conklin-Johnson and her husband Eric of Denver, Colo.; his brother, Francis Conklin of Boonton; his sister, Mary Therese Colando of Colts Neck; 14 grandchildren, Ann, John IV, Mary, Brian, Patrick, Lachlan, Cameron, Alyssa, TJ, Michael, Emily, Julia, Cassidy, and Colin; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, 2009 at the John E. Day Funeral Home, 85 Riverside Ave., Red Bank. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009 at Holy Cross Church, Rumson. Interment to follow at Fair View Cemetery, Middletown. Please address donations to Lunch Break, 121 West Bergen Place, Red Bank, NJ 07701, or THANC (Thyroid, Head and Neck Cancer) Foundation, created by Dr. Mark Urken of the Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, NY, c/o Erika A. Markowitz, 10 Union Square East, Suite 5B, New York, NY 10003.
Published in Asbury Park Press on Feb. 6, 2009
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