Farmington Obituary: John McGuire, 89

John Joseph McGuire, 89, of Farmington, formerly of Hamden and West Hartford, died Sunday, September 20, 2015. He was the beloved husband of 58 years of the late Nathalie Kasek McGuire.

He was born in New Haven, on April 6, 1926, to Thomas and Catherine Scally McGuire.

He leaves two daughters; Janice Dayton and her husband, Thomas of West Hartford, Joan Munroe and her husband, Michael of Newington; three grandchildren, Matthew McGuire Dayton and his wife Dr. Margot Dayton of West Hartford, James Dayton and his fiancée, Nicole Lee of West Hartford, Lt. Caroline Kearney USCG and her husband, Lt. Daniel Kearney USCG of Corpus Christi, Texas; two great-granddaughters, Allison McGuire Dayton and Grace Herwood Dayton, and a great-grandson expected early next year. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews. John was predeceased by a brother Thomas and a sister Catherine Palmer.

Following his graduation from Hillhouse High School in New Haven in 1943 at 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and completed basic training at Sampson Naval Training Station, Geneva, New York. Following operational training in a PBY Catalina Aircraft, in Jacksonville, Florida he was transferred to Camp Kearney Naval Air Station, San Diego, CA now known as Miramar, for PB4Y2 Privateer Crew training. He served as a Combat Air crewman, Aviation Radioman and Gunner with Fleet Air Wing 14.

After the war he was employed by the Regional Water Authority, formerly New Haven Water Company, retiring as a Supervisor of Water Quality. John is a graduate of the School of Executive Development, New Haven College. He is a past president of the New Haven Exchange Club, and chairman of a membership drive for the New Haven Chamber of Commerce. He was also a lifetime member of the American Water Works Association.

He always wanted to play the bag pipes, despite having no musical training. And so, after retirement he joined the New Haven Gaelic Highland Pipe Band, and received lessons. He started marching in parades, playing drums, until he was ready to pipe. He performed with the band throughout Connecticut, and also in the New York Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. He was delighted to wear the band’s uniform and travel in Kilt to Grand Central Station.

John and Nathalie moved from their home in Hamden to West Hartford in 2004. He moved to an apartment at Middlewoods of Farmington in 2015. He was an avid fan of UConn Women’s Basketball. He would always say that Geno and “the girls” made winter bearable.

Services will be Saturday, with the celebration of a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter Claver Church, 47 Pleasant St. West Hartford. Friends and family may call Friday, 4-7 p.m. at Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave. West Hartford. Burial will be private.

To honor John’s lifelong love of cats, donations in his memory can be made to the Connecticut Humane Society, 701 Russell Rd. Newington CT 06111, www.cthumane.org.

Online expressions of sympathy and directions may be found at www.molloyfuneralhome.com.