Arthur's Tavern Owner, Namesake Dies at 83

Arthur McGreevey, 83, owner of in Morris Plains, died Thursday, Nov. 3.

Morris Plains Mayor Frank Druetzler commented that McGreevey was very well known in Morris Plains. Druetzler knew him well. "I went to Lewellyn Farms as a teenager, and have known the entire family since then.  He was a great guy," Druetzler said.

His family provided the following obituary:

McGreevy, 83, passed away peacefully at Sunrise Assisted Living in Morris Plains.

He was born Dec. 6, 1927, in Orange, and lived most of his life in Morris Plains, before moving to Sparta, where he lived for the past 16 years.

Arthur attended Seton Hall Preparatory School and studied poultry husbandry at Rutgers University; he also served four years in the US Navy.

In the restaurant business for more than 61 years, he was president of and owner of three restaurants in New Jersey, Arthur's Tavern in Morris Plains and Hoboken., and Arthur's St. Moritz in Sparta. He also owned Llewellyn Farms in Morris Plains, The Black Bull Inn in Mountain Lakes, Larison's Turkey Farm Inn in Chester, Arthur's Tavern in North Brunswick, and Emerson. His business philosophy was the same for each; he was known for his dedication to detail and willingness to sacrifice his personal time and life.

Arthur was an active member and past president of the New Jersey Restaurant Association as well as a member and on the board of directors of the National Restaurant Association.

He received national attention at President Ronald Reagan's 2nd Inauguration when Larison's was chosen to participate in the "Taste America" Culinary Show in Washington, D.C. Arthur was also a member of the 200 Club of Morris County, the Elks Club, The Campfire Club of America, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Chaine de Rotisseurs, Geneva Association, and  St. Virgil's Roman Catholic Church.

A fan of  world travel, his travels took him from Nome, Ak, to safaris in Kenya.

He was predeceased by his mother, Margaret Humphrey (McGreevy) Mayer; his father, Arthur McGreevy, and his former wife, Doretta (Wille) McGreevy. He is survived by his only daughter, Alice McGreevy and Larry Young of Denville; his only granddaughter, Alyse-Marie Moore and her fiance, Larry Puentes of Denville; cousins, Louise and Ernie Blaine of Great Meadows; Betty and Milton McWilliams of Belvidere; Sharon and Paul Farrell, Ernest and Karen Blaine, Steven Blaine, and his dearest friends, William Kennedy, Henry Lam, Victor Avondoglio, Hank Tessmer, Jim Nye, Walter Reinken, Harry Knowles, and many other restaurateurs and close friends and most of all, his care takers who have always been there for him.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Arthur McGreevy's name to the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater New Jersey Chapter, 400 Morris Ave., Suite 251, Denville, N.J. 07834 and Arthur McGreevy Scholarship to Culinary Institute of America, 1946 Campus Drive, Hyde Park, N.Y. 12538.

Visitation will be held at the Dangler Funeral Home, 600 Speedwell Ave., Morris Plains, N.J., today, Nov. 4, 2011, from 2 until 8 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011, at 11 a.m. at St. Virgil's Church, Speedwell Avenue, Morris Plains, N.J. Arthur will be laid to rest in the Mausoleum at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover, N.J.