Obituary of John H. Melville

John Hugh Melville of Port St.Lucie, Florida, a former long time resident > of Goshen, NY, died February 11, 2014. He was 88. Jack was born in > Melrose, Massachusetts to immigrant parents from Scotland and Ireland, George and > Sarah Melville. He was the fourth of six children. He served in the Army > Air Force in the Pacific during World War II. He was a S/Sgt. Engineer Gunner > on the B 25 bomber "Golden Gate or Bust." He studied at Boston College on > the GI bill and later earned his Master of Social Work degree at Boston > University. A loyal alumnus, he would sing the Boston College fight song at > the drop of a hat. During the summers when he was in college he worked as > the caddie master at the Bretton Woods resort in New Hampshire where he was > lucky enough to meet his future wife Eleanor McSharry. They married in 1951. > > > He had a long career in the mental health field. He came to Goshen in > 1963 to work for Orange County as a social worker. He was eventually the first > County Mental Health Commissioner in New York State who was not a medical > doctor and he was very instrumental in the building of the County Mental > Health Center at Arden Hill in Goshen. "The Melville Room" was later named > in his honor. He was the recipient of the Frank W. Masterson award, an > award given annually to an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution > to the betterment of Mental Health in Orange County. After his retirement > he lived in both Goshen and Port St. Lucie, Florida. From his Scottish father > he inherited a lifelong love of golf, which he was now able to indulge year > round. He was a member of the Board of Governors at the Orange County Golf > Club where he had many happy days and good friends. He also had many close > friends in Goshen with whom he played tennis, skied or met at Gabella's > Lakeville Inn for dinner on Saturday nights. He was a loving and boisterous > presence in his children's lives and a hands on father before that was > common. He was a particularly notable presence at his son John's basketball > games. After his beloved Eleanor's death in 2007 he was able to spend his > last years at home cared for by his daughter Sara and his son-in-law Craig > Siruchek. > > > He is survived by his children: Maureen Melville and Joseph Glauber of > McLean Virginia and their children, Samuel, Benjamin and Julia; John P. > and Monica Melville of Goshen New York and their children, Amy, Kathleen and > John; Ellen and Ted Prodromou of San Anselmo, California and their > children, Alicia and Michael; Nancy and James Montgomery of Cornwall, New York and > their children, Kara and Maggie; Sara and Craig Siruchek of Port St. > Lucie, Florida and their children, Jack and Devon. He is also survived by his > sister-in-law Doris McSharry and 26 nieces and nephews who will remember > him as their larger than life "Uncle Jack". > > > Memorial Visitation will be held from 4 to 7pm on Friday, February 28 at > the Donovan Funeral Home, 82 S Church St. Goshen, N.Y. Funeral Services will > be held at 10am, Saturday March 1 at St. John the Evangelist Church, 71 Murray > Ave. Goshen, N.Y. Burial will follow at The Orange County Veterans Cemetery. >