Fr. George McBride

Obituary of Rev. Fr. George F. McBride, Jr. D.D.
Fr. George (Fr. Mickey as he liked to be called) was born in Jersey City, NJ in 1941, resided in Hoboken, NJ, graduated from local grammar school, A.J. Demarest High School, and Essex College of Business where he received a degree in Business and Court Reporting. He was employed at Hudson County Superior Court as a court liaison for the Probation Department for 6 years. He moved from Hoboken to South Hackensack, NJ and went into the retail clothing business as a manager at Wallach's and Rogers Peet until 1969 when he entered the Capuchin Seminary. In 1973 he joined the Syrian Orthodox Church, became Deacon at St. Anthony's/Holy Cross Syrian Orthodox Church in New York CIty and Archdiocese Secretary to His Excellency Archbishop Michael E. Verra, D.D. He was ordained a Priest in 1990 and became Pastor of St. Anthony's and later Pastor of St. Elias Syrian Orthodox Church, New York City. He also worked a secular job in Bergen County Special Civil Part, Jury Commission and became Court Liaison and computer tech for the Probation Family Division. He also did camera and sound work for the Bergen County Superior Court TV. He was Chaplain for Santa Febronia Society in Hoboken, NJ where he was a member since 1949 as an altar boy then Cordelier in Third Order of St. Francis. He was Treasurer and became 1st Trustee of Society for many years. He was proud that he could speak the Sicilian language, also the dialect of Bari, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Polish, Yiddish, French and American Sign Language. He was an assistant priest at St. Ignatius Peter Mission in Staten Island and was the Syrian Orthodox NGO Representative at the United Nations for many years and Editor of the monthly newspaper Holy Wisdom. He was a guidance counselor at Fountain House in New York City for 3 years. He went back to school and received his Ph.D. in Divinity from Ignatius University in 2004 and in 2010 was assigned to His Excellency Archbishop Cyril Aphrem Karim at St. Mark's Syrian Orthodox Cathedral, Teaneck, NJ.
Fr. Mickey had a great and blessed life surrounded by God's presence each and every day. He enjoyed many great and wonderful experiences especially meeting new people - two presidents, two Popes, one Saint-Mother Theresa of Calcutta, many bishops, cardinals, priests, deacons and sisters with whom he worked very closely. He made many lasting friendships in the numerous parishes he visited in New York City, St. Martin's Roman Catholic Church in Louisville, Kentucky, and especially St. Leo's Roman Catholic Church in Elmwood Park, NJ.
He had a great passion for cooking especially Sicilian and Middle Eastern food, as anyone who was lucky enough to enjoy one of his delicious meals would tell you. He also loved photography and accumulated over 300 photo albums filled with wonderful and loving memories of family, friends, celebrations and events he attended over the years. He loved to travel and was fortunate enough to visit many places in the States and around the world.
Fr. Mickey will be missed by everyone who knew and loved him.
Fr. George is survived by his sister Marianne (nee McBride) Wagner, her husband Vincent, dear uncle of Daniel Wagner, Adam Wagner, his fiancé Diana Sambevski, Jill McBride and Jan McBride, dear great uncle of Winona Wagner and many more cousins in the McBride and Faranda Families and countless friends
He is predeceased by his parents George F. McBride, Sr. & Mary Ann (nee Faranda) McBride, a sister Carol Ann McBride and a brother Thomas McBride
In lieu of flowers donations are requested in Fr. George's memory would be appreciated.
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