Born in the South Bronx, NY in 1933 to Phillip & Sarah (Joyce) Mortell, he was the middle child of three boys. His Irish immigrant parents settled in the Catholic Parish of St. Simon Stock, where he attended St. John’s Parochial School. While at St. John’s he acquired a deep respect for the nuns and priests who devoted their lives to others. Accordingly, he applied and was accepted to Cathedral College for minor seminary, followed by six years at St. Joseph’s Seminary. He was ordained in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan in 1959 by Cardinal Francis Spellman — and was immediately sent to Puerto Rico for Spanish lessons.
His first assignment after returning to New York City was to St. Mary’s Parish on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He served there as both parish priest and as chaplain to Old Gouverneur Hospital. Five years later he was sent to Bronx Community College to obtain his teaching credits. St. Rita’s Parish in the South Bronx was opening an experimental public school at which Jack would teach as a city employee rather than reporting to the parish pastor — he did, however, turn his salary over to the parish. The school was operating smoothly when he left in 1970. Cardinal Spellman had decided to help the Catholic Church in Venezuela by sending missionaries to the poorest areas that had yet to organize a church. After three years in Maracaibo, Venezuela, he returned to New York City and decided to leave the priesthood, feeling completely fulfilled from his work for the Church.
In 1975 he was appointed Associate Director of Bronx Municipal Hospital (now Jacobi Medical Center). Within his first year, he had established such a sincerely caring presence throughout the hospital that when a mentally unstable patient held a ward of nurses and patients hostage at gunpoint, the patient refused to talk with anyone but Jack Mortell. Jack convinced the patient to release the nurses and other patients and surrender the gun to him. That year, Jack was among the 50 private citizens commended for their distinguished acts of public service to the City of New York. He was awarded a Certificate of Commendation by Mayor Abraham D. Beame and NYC Police Commissioner Michael J. Todd.
In 1974 he married the love of his life, Kathleen Veronica (O’Shaughnessy) Mortell, and three years later their only child, Christopher John Mortell, was born. In 1978 they left Bronxville, NY and moved to Fair Lawn, NJ to be closer to their extended family — they remained in the Radburn section of Fair Lawn for 28 years. During his time in Radburn he served as a Trustee and headed various committees for the community that meant so much to his family. After retiring, Jack & Kathleen moved to Brookfield Estates in Belvidere, NJ where they continued traveling the world, exercising, and of course, being of service to others.
In 2015 Jack & Kathleen moved to Cape Cod, where they had spent their honeymoon — 48 years ago — and many happy summers. They settled in Chatham, MA in anticipation of the birth of their only grandson, John “Jack” Ignatius Mortell.
Jack was predeceased by his mother & father as well as his brothers and sisters-in-law, Phillip & Mary Mortell, and James & Hilma Mortell. He is survived by his wife Kathleen, his son Christopher, his son-in-law Ignacio Martinez Mortell, and his only grandchild and namesake, John “Jack” Ignatius Mortell, all of Chatham, MA. He is also survived by countless cousins, nephews, nieces, grandnephews and nieces, and a multitude of friends.
Anyone who was lucky enough to know Jack, whether for a short time or over the course of a lifetime, was made all the better for the experience. They had spent time with an angel that walked among us.
A Mass will be held at the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Anne in Fair Lawn, NJ on April 30th at 11:30 am. A Mass will also be held at Holy Redeemer in Chatham, MA on May 7th at 10:00 am. Jack will be interred privately in the Mortell Family plot at the Union Cemetery in Chatham.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to: Cape Cod Alzheimer’s Family Support Center, 2095 Main Street, Brewster, MA 02631.
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