Francis Vincent McGurren

MCGURREN, FRANCIS VINCENT – b. January 22, 1925-d. November 24, 2022, of Flushing and Garden City, New York, passed away with his devoted wife Mary at his bedside. His loving family: Jane (George Lence), John (Susan Neville), James (Debra Gades), Maureen (Greg Krakovsky), Patricia, Kathleen (Tom Broderick); and 9 grandchildren: Stephanie, Christopher, Sarah, Ryan, Thomas, Catherine, Patrick, Gregory and James mourn and gratefully celebrate his life.

Francis Vincent McGurren, known as Vince, was born to Irish immigrants Francis McGurren (County Tyrone) and Mary Byrne (County Westmeath). Together with older sisters Virginia (Nini Connolly) and Margaret (Sissy Vetter), they lived in a five-room apartment on Woodbine Street in Ridgewood, New York. Vince was an excellent student and altar boy, attending St. Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church while growing up during the Depression. Often referring to his mother as a saint and great cook, his winning first prize of a ham in a history competition continued with his life-long study of global politics, history, culture, religion and geography, and successful career as top-earning salesman for John Sexton & Co., selling food and food products throughout Manhattan and Long Island.

Upon graduation from Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn at the age of 18, Vince enlisted in the United States Navy in May 1943 at the Lido Beach, Long Island, NY Intake Station. He served as a Boatswain’s Mate Second Class during WWII until Honorably Discharged in March 1946, receiving the American Theater Medal, Victory Medal, European Theater Medal and Asiatic Pacific Medal. While proudly serving his country, he sailed on Naval ships and tankers, including the USS ALBERMARLE, USS SV 708 and USS WAUPACA and was stationed on many US Naval bases throughout North America. Vince often recalled the thrill of sailing around the world, including through the locks of the Panama Canal, and arriving into Pearl Harbor during the Japanese surrender in 1945.

Vince humbly recalled his most terrifying moment during his Naval service: During a week-long typhoon in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with 100-foot waves relentlessly threatening to submerge their ship, a fellow sailor, paralyzed by fear on look-out duty high up in the masthead, required rescuing. Vince was the only sailor who volunteered to assist. While hoisted up the mast, the rope holding Vince broke loose and, persevering heroically, he carried his mate and himself to safety.

Six months after Vince’s Naval discharge, his beloved mother Mary died in September 1946.

Vince met Mary Catherine Foley two years later while both were vacationing with their friends at Greenwood Lake, New York. Vince’s father Frank was overjoyed when Mary accepted Vince’s proposal and welcomed her wholeheartedly into the McGurren family. Less than a month before their wedding Frank passed away.

On October 2, 1954, Vince married Mary at St. Andrew Avellino Roman Catholic Church in Flushing with a reception afterwards at the Swan Club in Glenwood Landing. The following day they departed LaGuardia Airport on Colonial Airlines for their week-long honeymoon in Bermuda, returning there 50 years later to celebrate their marriage.

Starting their lives together in Astoria and with their first child in tow, Mary and Vince moved and settled into their first house on 165th Street in Flushing – seven blocks from St. Andrew’s Church and two blocks from Mary’s parents, Mary and John Foley, and brothers, Jack, Bob and Jim. While expecting their fourth child, Mary and Vince then purchased a larger house on 161st Street – closer to St. Andrew’s and still two blocks from Mary’s family. Five years later, their twins were born.

In 1969, while Mary was in St. Vincent’s Hospital diagnosed with a brain tumor, Vince stopped smoking cigarettes as an offering to God that Mary would recover, which she did. During that very difficult period, with six children at home under the age of 14, he continued working to support his family, was a daily presence at his wife’s bedside, and again persevered heroically while clinging to his faith and conviction that Mary would survive.

While in his twenties, Vince was a successful court reporter until his career began at John Sexton & Co. When Vince wasn’t selling, he was working on the house and became a carpenter, plumber, electrician and could build and fix anything. Vince and Mary were very active participants in the St. Andrew’s community. He was an Usher and member of the Holy Name Society while Mary was active in the Rosary Society at St. Andrew’s.

Vince loved swimming in the backyard pool, barbequing, and reading about current events while sitting on the porch listening to Mary and the family visit. They both enjoyed relaxing at home together while listening to Frank Sinatra. Vince had a wonderful voice and was known to pick up a microphone. When they weren’t at home, Mary and Vince enjoyed an active social life involving music and laughter and annually traveled to far away parts of the world, usually with another couple. Vince and Mary always welcomed their children’s friends into their home and always expected the unexpected visitor. Vince loved being with Mary, their family, relatives and friends, and as long as he was with Mary, he was content. Always voracious readers, and especially in later years, Mary and Vince loved spending time together sitting on the couch reading and looking forward to visits from their children and grandchildren. Vince was extraordinarily proud of his wife of 68 years and their family.

The hospice supervisor and nurses all said they had never witnessed anyone like Vince and that others in his situation would have passed a while ago and that his will to live was truly impressive.

Francis Vincent McGurren miraculously defied all medical expectations and challenges over the past decade primarily because of his profound and magnificent love for his wife Mary and because of the remarkable and loving care of his devoted family. We were all blessed with our faithful, loving, religious, courageous, fiercely political, intellectual, gregarious, hardworking and talented father for almost a century. Heaven is now better with Vince there, and we will miss him here.

The family of Francis will be receiving visitors on Tuesday, November 29, 2022 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM and 7:00pm to 9:00pm at Frederick Funeral Home, 192-15 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY 11358. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at 10:00 AM at St. Andrew Avellino RC Church, 35-60 158th Street, Flushing, NY 11358.

In lieu of flowers, donations to be made to Good Shepard Hospice

https://www.chsli.org/good-shepherd-hospice/ways-give

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.frederick-fh.com for the McGurren family.