The world needs more former football players turned educators. I have so many good memories of Mr. Furey.  I hope his family and loved ones are all finding peace.

In 1972, I came to Rutherford Junior High School as a new Social Studies teacher.  During the four years that I was there,  Jim was instrumental in shaping the type of teacher, counselor and administrator I hoped to be.  Jim and his friend and colleague, Lou Borelli provided me with the guidance, nurturing and tough love that lead me to pursue a career in Counseling and Educational Administration.  Thank you Jim and may you rest in peace.  Thank you Linda for keeping in touch for many years via Christmas cards.

This is Randy Wernes writing on behalf of my father, Don Wernes, who is unfortunately unable to write a tribute to his very dear friend, Jim Furey.  Mr. Furey and my father were part of a group of men who were not only friends but also tremendous athletic competitors for many years.  While they all had athletic backgrounds, it was the obscure sport of Four Wall Handball that drew them together.  Throughout my and my brother’s life, we couldn't get enough of hearing the stories of matches, championships won and lost, and the chop busting that followed handball nights at the tailgate of Mr. Kennedy’s car, where the trunk was always filled with cold beer.  When we had the privilege of joining my father at the various places they played (Montclair YMCA, the Sportsman’s Club, NY AC etc), it felt like being invited into a special club.  Mr. Furey and my father had a very special and close friendship, having been doubles teammates for many years and living somewhat parallel lives.  Both played football and coached football, both were high school teachers and administrators just a town away from each other – Rutherford and East Rutherford (Becton).  I distinctly recall that when my father told me that Mr. Furey had been drafted by the Cleveland Browns out of college, I wanted to ask him for his autograph.  I was so nervous, but when I finally did ask, Mr. Furey, although bigger than life to me, made me feel completely at ease, writing a short note and signing his name.  It’s an autograph that I still have and treasure.  
With all of that, there is one memory that in my mind defines the lives of not only Mr. Furey but my father as well.  It speaks to the deep and lasting friendships these men had.  Any time the phone rang at my parent’s house and my father picked it up…when I heard him say, “Hey Pal”, I always knew who was on the other end of the line.

I send my deepest sympathies and condolences to the Furey family on the passing of Jim who worked very hard for the Rutherford school system. Now Jim, its your time to rest in peace. Joe Loffredo.

Mr. Furey — the man you did not want to meet in the hallways during class, especially if you didn’t have a pass! Lucky for me, he had a great sense of humor — and somehow, I managed to get away without detention! The Gentle Giant of RHS. My deepest condolences to Mrs. Furey — my all time favorite teacher. May you find peace.  Hugest of hugs for you and your family.

So very sad to learn of Mr. Fury's passing. He was such a kind and understanding person who when you leveled with him on why you did something wrong he would listen and give you lenience along with a stern talking to which left you not wanting to disappoint him again in the future.  Both my husband, Tom and I had wonderful interactions with him during our high school years and both of us had his wife, Mrs. fury as our teacher in grammar school who was an amazing teacher and person.  We send our deepest condolences to her, their son and rest of the family. May he rest in forever paradise. he has left his positive mark on many RHS students

Lynda,

As you know, I first met Jim in the North Jersey Handball League in the 1960s. He was a very good player, a fierce competitor, and a class guy.  

You may remember that Lou Borrelli and Jim played doubles against Don Wernes and I during the summers on Friday nights at the Livingston YMCA, with lots of beers and chop-busting afterward. When Lou passed away, Tom Lynch became Jim's partner.

Around 1980, Tom and I suggested to Jim and Don that they should team up to play in Golden Masters events, which they did and were a nationally-ranked doubles tandem. 

There are lots of stories from those handball days, and more I can tell from football days when Jim was defensive coordinator for the NJ team (Jersey Jays) that played in Newark and Jersey City.  In football, Jim enjoyed a great college and pro career, but he might have been an even better coach. 

My condolences to the family.  Jim Furey -- may he rest in peace. 

Bill Kennedy
Otisfield, ME

Jim, my friend and neighbor was always and always will be an inspiration to me. Whether it was 40 years ago, or a month ago, every season change I would look across the yard and see him with Linda in their garden or reading a book on the deck, mowing the grass or  just loading his golf clubs  in his trunk. He was truly amazing! I read an article where he was called “King  Jim Furey” and no wonder why!
I always enjoyed talking  with  Jim, sincere, intelligent, caring, and not afraid to speak the truth or what was on his mind.  My very first encounter with Jim was some 40 years ago when we first moved into the neighborhood. I was cleaning the curb line and he stopped in the street put down his  car window and yelled “hey  Pal  what are you doing? Put a pair of gloves on  you don’t know what’s in that street “! He was right, and I remember laughing to myself and thinking I really like this guy.
So  Big  Jim while I am going to miss you,   I know that when I look across the yard I will think of you and continue to be inspired ! It is said  “The scent of the rose never leaves the hand of the giver “ and Jim was truly a giver. !

With deepest condolences,  Jim was a Gentle Giant.  I was privileged to have helped Linda and Jim with their quest for family.  May he rest in peace!
Ed Rentel (Señor)

I have many fond memories of Mr Furey. He was a force to be reckoned with. He was also kind, fair and ultimately a great positive influence on many “kids” from RHS. God Rest his soul and God Bless his friends and family with Peace in his memories.

I am so sad to hear of Mr Fury’s passing.  Always wonderful memory's of him as Vice Principle and teaching us daily lessons in life. 
I was fortunate to see him a few years back when he was honored at the Rutherford High School athletic hall of fame with his lovely wife who was also one of my teachers at the school. My deepest and heartfelt condolences to his family.  RIP

I am so very saddened to hear of Mr. Fury’s passing. We were detention buddies. He taught me so many life’s skills, during those hours of sitting outside his office, for detention. I often speak of him when I talk about my high school days.
Rest high Mr. Fury, until we see each other again.

Sincerest condolences from the Werner family.

I remember walking into the Junior High School - grades 7-9 at the time and Mr Furey was the Dean of Discipline and scared me as he walked down the hall.  He ended up being one of the most influential people in my life.   
Condolences to his family. 
Jeane Willis

I remember Mr. Furey so well. Deepest sympathy to his family, friends, and to all his former Rutherford community whom he touched in so many ways.  Thank you for dedicating your life to helping others see their potential. Rest in peace.

I'm saddened to hear about Mr. Furey's passing. So many memories come to mind. He was an exceptional teacher and coach. Early on I found him intimidating and as time went on I realized how special he was. He made one want to be better, to overcome obstacles. I vividly recall my senior year meeting with him to get his input if he thought I could play at a major college level. ( I wasn't recruited anywhere at the time). He said I could however also explained what it would take. He was spot on. I went to a post graduate prep school and was recruited by just about every major college program. I will always be grateful to him. People often say there were certain people who were major influences in their lives. I can truthfully say he was one of the most influential people in my life as I'm sure he was in many others. 
See you on the other side Coach.
John Schmeding.

One day, while standing in the hallway by the band room, Mr. Fury walked up behind me, tapped me on the shoulder and asked me why I wasn't playing football. I told him it was because the coach did not think I fit in on his team (he thought I was like my older brother whom he did not like). The disappontment on Mr. Fury's face was obvious. He told me "If I was coach, you'd be a starter." Years later, while directing traffic, he drove up to me and told me he was the coach. I told him I was ready to start. He then asked me if I wanted some dogs from Rip's (the old stand in Lyndhurst). Years before, I got him and Mr. Bauman hooked on them. 
RIP, sir.

I am very sad to hear of Mr. Furey's passing.  My condolences and deepest sympathy to Mr. Furey's family and loved ones.   

Mr. Furey was my 8th grade Earth science teach, head RHS football coach, and the RJrHS Vice Principal when I was a freshman at RJrHS.  I admit, I only was "in trouble" once with Mr. Furey while in 8th grade and I cannot thank him enough for his guidance and mentoring. 

About a week ago  day before Mr. Furey's passing, I was at home relaxing and I remembered a quote a friend of mine said to me many years ago.  He said, "when you teach, you touch the future....." it was at this point a thought came to my mind and I spoke (and wrote down), "our deeds are our monuments".  

Reading these warn, heartfelt, and loving condolences it was comforting to know that our beloved Mr. Furey did touch the future for so many students (now adults) and his monuments will forever shine and will be with us for always.

God bless your soul Mr. Furey - rest in peace sir - and may God comfort your family and loved ones.   

Respectfully as always,

Bob
RHS '75

I was the RHS school photographer from 1974 to 1976. I also did reporting and local stories for 2 local newspapers. The Newsleader and the South Bergenite. I had the negatives from my time at RHS saved in a big pile. I never through them away. Many of the images were badly scratched, but thanks to modern software I was able to remove the defects and rebuild the images. These photos are from a 1974 article I wrote on Mr. Furey for the News Leader. Lou Borelli was his right hand man on many of his plans.

Coach & The Furey Family,

Thank you for allowing all of us to be such a large part of Coaches life.  The Fall 1991 Rutherford team, just like many others, have a tremendous love, appreciation, and respect for the tough yet honest way he interacted and raised us all.
We came in as boys and Coach molded us into men through his larger than life persona.  Coach instilled honesty, accountability, discipline,  commitment, and dedication from anyone that had the honor of being side by side with him for any amount of time, especially those of us on his sideline that took those lessons so deeply into our souls.
He was instrumental in bringing Rutherford Football back to the forefront of Fall conversations yet his impact on all our lives 30+ years on tells more about the man he is than any win or loss on the field.
Every student, who graced the halls of RHS during his tenure, likely has a few Mr. Furey stories and memories and I am sure that there is at least one where he was the disciplinarian and there is at least one where he is the ear of friendship and guidance that only a HS teenager could need at that very moment.
I am Blessed, Honored, & Humbled to have had your guidance for well more than those four HS years.
I will cherish all of our conversations, your lessons (especially the HARD ones), and your locker room speeches for my entire life and I hope to inspire even one person the way you inspired and helped guide me into manhood.
Thank You to the entire Furey Family
for sharing Coach with us all!
Rest Easy Coach we got it from here.

Mr. Furey was Vice Principal when I was at RHS.  Being summoned to Mr Furey's office was not normally a good thing, it generally meant you would be in detention or suspended.  On the morning of Opening Night of our Senior Play, I summoned to his office.  He called me down to tell me our faculty director, Mr Buhtanic was in the hospital and he, Jim Furey would be there to support our production of West Side Story.   He said the show must always go on.

I remember him as a great person with a marvelous sense if humor.

Coach Furry was an excellent coach, teacher, mentor and moderator. A very special man in my life. Rest in peace coach. 🙏🏾👍🏾🙏🏾

When I first got to RHS in 1973 starting in the 9th grade, I was a transplant from NYC who hated school with a passion. I used to cut class a lot, especially during study hall, but in my first year there you gently coaxed me along with 64 detentions and 9 suspensions to see things differently. I knew I had to figure something out. Then in the 10th grade it clicked, I figured out how to get straight A’s all the way down the report card top to bottom. I kept getting maximum honors one marking period after another until my last term at the school, and it stuck with me. Today more than 50 years later I am still going to school and getting straight A’s now towards my 4th college degree using the same system I developed at RHS.  Because of you for me now, going to school to learn new things is now a relaxing stress free easy to do past time, which I prefer over watching TV. As I write this now I can see you with crystal clarity in the hallways at RHS during the class interchange. You would come barreling through door of the smoke filled boy’s bathroom and toilets would flush in chorus, and you would blurt out: “Who is smoking in here!” and sheepishly in unison through the thick smoke we all said: ”No one sir”. The RHS class of 1977 has had some great reunions in the past, and everyone there spoke of you with high regard and great respect. You touched so many people’s lives in a positive and inspirational way. I am smiling now, for you have left a good impression on my mind and in my heart that I will always keep and never ever forget. For me you are not gone. You are just in another place, and I do sincerely hope we can meet again when it is my time to go to that place. 
John Uske

I got called into Fury's office plenty of times in the late 70's. On the wall he had that comic book framed. It was the comic called "Sergeant fury and his howling commandos". That just added to the fear of knowing that I was in trouble and he was a big guy. I got in trouble by a certain teacher that I won't name. We then called our band by that teachers name and posted flyer's up all over the walls at Rutherford High announcing the gig with this teachers name on the flyer. I was doing a soundcheck in the auditorium and Fury was looking at me with daggers in his eyes. I knew I had gone too far. He was a tough guy.

Rich Bejarano
Rutherford.

All good things must come to an end. 

However I have a story I would like to share.  Like many others I played football for Mr. Furey but after high school we shared a common bond: we both playe handball. I moved away to Califronia but when I would visit Rutherford, I would get together with him. When I turned 50 I was talking with him and he said it's time you stopped calling me Mr. Furey and use Jim. While I did that, it was always hard because ot the respect I had for him.

Mourning the loss of a truly selfless man who helped to sculpt the lives of so many. His  incredible ability to encourage you to be your best while expressing the disappointment of a caring father is what contributed to him being a successful vice principal. 

He was a loving devoted husband and father who smiled with pride while sharing with me experiences of fatherhood and a picture  of his son dressed up as Judge Ito for Halloween in 1995.  I was honored to have him meet my daughter and I at Park Tavern  for lunch when she was a senior in high school. So happy that I was able to express to him over these past years exactly how much he meant to so many, especially myself. Knowing him as an adult was a gift I’ll treasure forever.

Every time I see that particular shade of blue paper I will think of those numerous invitations that I (and countless others) would receive to come spend time with you in your office. Thank you, Mr. Furey for changing the trajectory of my life and for our friendship in my adult years.

Debby Bianchi - RHS Class of  ‘86

Jim Furey was one of the most influential people in my young life. As football coach and head disciplinarian at Rutherford High, let's just say we spent a lot of time together after school. He was firm but fair. I felt like he had higher hopes for me than I did sometimes. He was a great leader who achieved success by believing in people and rooting for their success. He was in your corner no matter how badly you screwed up. I will never forget Coach Furey. May he rest in peace.

Our thoughts and prayers are with your family.  You were a great vice principal. My parents had you as a teacher and my dad also had you as a football coach. 
You were always there for all the students no matter who they were. 
So many lives were touched, you will forever be in our hearts. 
Debbie (Caputo ) Bristol class of 1991
Barbara (kronyak) caputo class of 1967
Jim Caputo class of 1966
Donna (Caputo) Pietrzak class of  1996

My favorite memory of Mr. Furey was him calling me to his office because he wanted to talk to me. I was failing out of school, my crew was a bit wild, and the younger students followed us. He saw in me something no one else did, told me that high school wasn’t going to be a greatest time, but one day I would be working with kids just like me. That he saw in me a caring, strong, leader and one day my struggles would help other kids. He asked me to keep an eye on my crew and remind them that we just needed to make it through the next few years. He saw great things in each of us even when we were getting detentions, and partying a little too early in the day. The Mid 90’s was a great time at RHS and he would be proud if he could see how far this crew has come.

Rest in peace Mr. Feury! You were one of THE very best! Thank you for your guidance throughout my high school years!

Thank you for helping me Grow up and believe in myself. 
You were and always will be a part of my life. 

Louis Ferullo

I also had Mr. Furey as my Vice Principal at RHS in the late 70’s. I remember as I started there as an eighth grader being so scared of him in the beginning and everyone knew the Vice Principal was the disciplinarian. My best friend and I shared a locker and it was right across from his office. Frequently at the end of the day when he would leave to go home he would find us by our locker with books and stuff all over the floor and he would just shake his head and roll his eyes! We quickly caught on that while he was tough on the outside, he was so kind and funny and caring . His kindness stood out, 
Thanks for all you did for so many of us at RHS. 
Sending prayers and condolences to your family.

Coach Furey touched my life in a positive way.   

Coach also had an impact on countless youngsters and families during his years in Rutherford. 
Truly an amazing guy.

I remember coach as a great principal, a great family man, a great football player, a great coach, and a all-around awesome person with a humongous heart. I learned a lot from coach. His football speeches would send chills down my spine.
One little story about coach when I was A junior, I was having girl problems with a few different girls. I got mad a put my fist through a big school window. The hallways scattered as the periods went on. I thought I got away with it, but that afternoon Coach walked into one of my classrooms pointed at me and said follow me son, he was my principal and my football coach at the time. I explained to him what happened then he told me a story about one of his good friends ruined his career with all sports by doing something similar and he told me I had to pay the school back $20 every two weeks until I graduate and if I did that he would not tell my aunt. So that’s what I did and at the end of the school year he gave me the money back and said I hope you learned your lesson. I’ll see at football in August and keep hitting the weight room son! 
You will be missed by many !

Deepest sympathy to those close to Mr Fury - I played football at RHS on the 64’ championship team that he coached - great coach who “coached” - he taught the game and taught the positions - always demanded the best from you - as I’m sure he did later in his career as vice principal

Mr. Furey was an amazing man. He spent many a night as a young man, eating at our dinner table, as he was one of the young, handsome assistant coaches under Coach Folio, Rutherford High School, until he later became Head Coach. I hold many fond memories of Coach Furey and send heartfelt condolences to the family during this time.

Toni Lee Folio-Ponti

What a great man! I played football for him at St. Marys and then he was my Vice Principal at RHS.  He was a such a great person and role model. Even as a kid I realized that. Rest in peace Mr. Fury!

Mr. Furey was my Vice Principal in HS. Rutherford High, to be exact. He was a man who gave a damn about us kids...especially us kids who got sent to In School Suspension or Detention often enough. :)  But while in there, he talked to you and tried to help you make better decisions and just chatted with us too.
 You hardly saw the principal, but Mr. Furey was always around and he knew us by name. I had his wife...Mrs. Furey, as a teacher in 7th and 8th grade
Rest In Peace, Mr. Furey...and thank you, Sir. 💙
My prayers to his family during this time of sorrow.

Remember Mr. Furey from my Rutherford High School days. He was strict with all of us, but  it was  a strictness of love, as well as being a great role model. If you had to see him in his office for something “bad” you did - he corrected you with the correct punishment you deserved, and most if not all of the time - you learned from it. He will be missed, and he was and always will be a huge, positive memory in my life. RIP Big Jim.

Jeff McGowan - Rutherford, NJ

Extending my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the man who changed my life as a student in the Rutherford High School system. You will forever lovingly be my principal dad, detention pops and friend. I can only hope you knew the incredible impact you had on your students then and now. Rest easy Mr. Furey🕊️❤️

With love,
Yolanda Bervine Voss

OBITUARY

James Andrew Furey

September 22, 1932 – January 28, 2024

Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home

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