John F. Neary

John F. Neary, Esquire, 68, recently of Toms River, N.J., passed away peacefully on Friday, February 19th, 2016 surrounded by his loving family. He was born in East Orange, N.J. and resided in Secaucus most of his life.

John received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Seton Hall University in 1969 and his Juris Doctorate degree in 1972 from Seton Hall University Law School. While in law school John served as Case Notes Editor of the Seton Hall Law Review and co-authored “Equal Protection Clause-Imprisonment of Indigent for Non-payment of Fine Declared Unconstitutional”, 2 Seton Hall Law Review 504 (1971).

Following law school John began his 40 yr. career as an attorney in the construction industry. John was an attorney and partner at McElroy Connell Foley & Geiser, later Connell Foley LLP from 1975-2001. Thereafter, John had his own practice in Roseland, N.J., before becoming a lead attorney in 2006 with Florio Perrucci Steinhardt & Fader’s construction and public contracting law group.

John was part of the defense team in the historic criminal proceedings involving Raymond Donovan (former U.S. Secretary of Labor) and Schiavone Construction Co., in Bronx, N.Y., which, after an approximately nine-month trial, resulted in an acquittal of all defendants.

John was a member of the American and New Jersey Bar Associations, and was a member of the New Jersey Bar Association's construction section since its inception and, for many years, a member of the American Bar Association's Forum on the Construction Industry. He was listed as a Super Lawyer (construction/surety) in New Jersey Monthly Magazine and was a Top Lawyer in Bergen County’s 201 Magazine.

He was predeceased by his parents Francis and Mary (Bennett) Neary.

Surviving John are his siblings: Thomas Neary and wife Dr. Edna Arrieta, Cecilia Frank and husband Ken, Dr. Patricia Neary-Ludmer; and “Loving Uncle” to Danielle Boska and husband Patrick, Jacqueline Caswell and husband Rory, Erin Anders and husband Drew, Kristen Waldron and husband Kevin, Joshua Ludmer, Alyson Ludmer, Michael Neary, and Michelle Swears and husband Clayton and their children.

Visitation will be held on Monday, February 22nd from 3-8PM at Anderson and Campbell Funeral Home, 703 Main Street, Toms River. A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday at 9:30AM at St. Justin the Martyr Church, 975 Fischer Blvd., Toms River. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Toms River. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Joan Dancy and PALS Foundation (People with ALS) by going to their website, www.joandancyandpals.org.

Condolences may be made by visiting www.andersonandcampbell.com.