John James Lease Jr., ‘Jack’

John James Lease Jr., ‘Jack’, died peacefully on July 5, 2024 at the Kaplan Family Hospice in Newburgh, New York; he was 90 years old.

Jack was born in Newburgh at St. Luke's Hospital in 1934. His life was defined by balance and kindness in both work and play. He abhorred ‘lazy-mindedness’, which was generally interpreted to mean ‘not planning for the future’. He had an inward facing desk sign which simply said ‘THINK’ which was used as a cudgel with his children, (metaphorically of course).

He was lithe and lean in younger years, fit and active all his life. Formal in dress and manner, liberal in his social views, conservative in his spending, he lived modestly, and was true to his friends. He retired at 56 to pursue his passion in tennis. He treasured his father, adored his mother, and was fortunate in his business partner, friend, and brother Richard, for 50 years.

He was predeceased by his wife Fran of 60 years whom he loved for her intellect and similar off-beat humor, particularly as it applied to child-rearing. He raised three children with her who, remarkably, all get along today and remember a happy home with a private coded language. He championed the rights of women, quite possibly because Fran was herself a force-of-nature.

He had a high ethical standard and believed in turning the other cheek. His life was defined by a desire to be reasonable in all things and was a standard for that ideal in his business and private life. He was a Newburgh Jaycee, played noon basketball at the Grand Street YMCA, and served on the Newburgh IDA, St. Luke's Hospital, and the Johnes Home board. He once spent a weekend in a demonstration bomb-shelter without water or services as a Newburgh Jaycee. Later in life he refused to travel unless there was a private bath attached to the room possibly because of that bomb-shelter deprivation.

He is survived by his wife Dorothy; his children Karen Driscoll, Jeffrey, and John Lease and their families; his brothers Richard and Raphael and their families.

His lifelong friends were Jim Wright, Jim Clark, and Fred Quintans. He found happiness late in life in his marriage to Dorothy Wensing. He was grateful for a second chance at love, again and he will leave a vacancy in so many lives as his partnership and confidence were true and complete.

Jack loved the films of Ingmar Bergman, gin and tonic, the Mets, the Bob and Ray Radio Show, and silliness in all its forms. He had a somewhat dark sense of humor. Once, when asked if he wanted to be buried or cremated he responded by saying, ‘Surprise me’.

Wake: Sunday 14 July 2024, 1:00 - 4:00 pm Brooks Funeral Home, 481 Gidney Avenue, Newburgh, NY

Catholic Mass: 15 July 2024, 10:00 am, Sacred Heart Church, 24 South Robinson Avenue, Newburgh, NY

Repast: 11:30 - 2:00 pm The Powelton Club, 29 Balmville Road, Newburgh, NY

As Jack prioritized reasonableness and kindness in life the family asks you to go out into the world and be reasonable in the face of unreasonableness. Go out and surprise someone by doing a kind deed as a memorial to the spirit of the man we knew as Jack Lease.

To send a personal condolence, please visit www.brooksfh.com