John Joseph "Jackie" Sugrue, of Olney, Maryland, passed away on Friday, November 3, 2023, at the age of 94. John was born to Mary and Denis Sugrue on February 10, 1929, in New York City. When he was two, his father passed away unexpectedly, his family relocated to County Kerry, Ireland. After graduating high school in Ireland, John returned to America in 1951 to attend college. However, before he could enroll, he was drafted to serve in the Korean War. He served in the Army until December 1952 and in the Army Reserves until 1957. While in the Reserves he enrolled in NYU (New York University) and obtained a degree in Industrial Engineering. After graduating college, he worked for Ford Instrument as a systems engineer for many years. He was out on an American Navy ship during the Bay of Pigs, overseeing its missile system. During the Vietnam War, he worked on an Australian Navy ship’s missile system. He married Theresa Mulhern in 1963 and they moved to Holland where he worked for the Dutch Navy. They returned to America in 1966 to start a family. He retired from Vitro in 1994 and soon after got his dream job working at Northwest Golf Course where he worked for 15 years.
John was a long-time resident of Olney, Maryland. He is survived by his wife, Theresa and children Noreen, Dennis (fiancée Kristin), and Jacqueline (Mark) and grandchildren Ryan, Devin and Madeline Beck, and Riley and Brendan Smith as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Noreen Donoghue. John was known for his great stories, his good sense of humor and his famous breakfasts. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Visitation will be held Thursday, November 16th 5-8 pm at Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home (11800 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD). A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, November 17 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Olney, MD. Visitation will be from 11 - 11:30 am with mass at 11:30 am. An informal luncheon will be held afterwards for those who wish to celebrate and remember his life.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hinesrinaldifuneralhome.com for the Sugrue family.
