John J. Moran

John Joseph “Jack” Moran, one of Connecticut’s most noteworthy and creative mechanical engineers, died peacefully on May 20th at the age of 88 at the Summit at Plantsville where he lived for the last two years. In the mid-1950’s, Jack was one of the pioneers in radiant heating, remote controlled building systems (smart buildings), modular construction, and was one of the first in the country to start a mechanical engineering practice that combined all of the various mechanical trades, cutting time and cost out of the design process, and helping to usher in a modern era of building design.

Jack was the engineer of record for more than 40 major buildings in Connecticut, and many smaller projects. He liked to strike up conversations in pubs by waging a bet with the stranger next to him that he had built a building in that fellow’s town, no matter where in the state he lived. It was a bet Jack rarely lost.

Jack was a World War II hero, having been shot 3 times during the Battle of the Bulge. He led a small troop of men during the hectic weeks of battle, and saved one of his men’s lives. He was awarded many medals, including two Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart. He was captured twice by the Germans and escaped twice; saw the famous battle for the Bridge at Remagen and was in Paris during its liberation.

Jack was born in 1925 in Southington, the son of Joseph and Mary Moran. He joined the military at the age of 17, after life on a small farm in Milldale during the depression. His mother worked at International Silver in Meriden when it was the Silver Capital of the World; and he earned extra money for his single mother family by doing farm labor and playing pool at the Old Mill.

Like many returning war heroes, the GI Bill helped him achieve his dreams. He enrolled in the mechanical engineering program at Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute where he learned his craft, and became a Dodger fan. In 1943, he had met Ida Verdolini of Meriden’s Verdolini’s Restaurant family, where he put in overtime hours making Verdolini’s famous pizzas; they married in 1946.

He went to work for Jerome Mueller & Co. in Hartford in the late 1940s, where he eventually became a partner. He started his own firm John Moran Associates in the 1960s in Hartford’s Bushnell Towers - a building he was most proud to have worked on. He always said his offices were the finest mechanical engineering offices in the state, and his clients generally agreed. During the peak of his career he was active in both Democratic and Republican politics, an early advocate of political independence.

Among his buildings is the very well-known Temple Street Garage in New Haven, now an out of date parking structure, but in its time a New Haven Landmark. He also did the engineering on St. Aloysous Church in Milldale, built on the land that had once been the farm he was born on.

After retiring, Jack was hired as the senior building inspector for the city of Hartford, and he was also responsible for administering the certifications for all mechanical engineers in the state.

Jack designed and coordinated the building of the home for his family in Milldale in 1955, as well as the landscaping. He had a Green Thumb inherited from his mother that saw him later in life planting and tending to the shrubbery, flowers and other plantings at all of his children’s homes.

Jack and his wife Ida had 4 children: James, Janice, Joyce and JoAnn. His great joy in later life was his seven grandchildren. He particularly loved spending Saturday mornings with the younger ones in the 1990s. He would take them out to an arcade and breakfast or lunch on Saturday, letting them bond and make new friends while he sat quietly nearby.

It’s said that all we can do is live well and make our mark. Jack made his mark in brick and steel, as well as in the family he loved. He is survived by his former wife Ida Rose Moran of Milldale; his children James Moran and Cheryl Dawdy of Ann Arbor, MI, Janice (Moran) Berube and husband Russell of Milldale and JoAnn Moran of New Haven; his grandchildren Reagan Berube of Birmingham, UK, Nicole (Berube) Sweeney and husband Michael of Milford, MA; Justin French of Southington, Tyler Frenchand Chelsea French both of Milldale ; Aaron Moran of Taylorville, UT and Julian Larson of New Haven; and two great grandchildren Erin Rogers and Nathan Sweeney. He was preceded in death by his truly loving daughter Joyce Marie (Moran) French.

Funeral Services will be held on Friday at 11am at the Della Vecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St. Burial with Military Honors will be at St. Thomas Cemetery. Calling hours will be on Friday morning from 10-11am.

Rather than sending flowers, Jack’s family would prefer that those wanting to contribute support a program that will help a returning war veteran. He knew first-hand the burden they bear.

The family would also like to thank the staff and at the Summit at Plantsville. They took such good care of our dad and showed him so many kindnesses.