John H. Bley

Bley, John H, age 92, passed away surrounded by family, on Thursday, August 15, 2024, at his home in Waldwick. He was born in the "Stutz" house on Belmont Avenue in North Haledon and lived in Hawthorne for 44 years. He has also lived in Pennsylvania, Jupiter Florida, and Whiting New Jersey. He became a resident of Waldwick two years ago. John attended Lincoln Grammar School and was a 1949 graduate of Hawthorne high school. His first job was with Lever Bias Textile Machine Co. in Paterson as a machine assembler. Two years later he was hired by Kearfott Mfg Corp. where he worked as a draftsman and was later promoted to tool designer. John then went on to work at Bendix Corp. for 11 years starting as a tool designer and then being promoted to design checker. In 1968, John accepted a position at Curtis Wright Corp as a chief tool designer and later transferred to the nuclear division as a foreman of reactor and steam generator final assembly. John made a second transfer with the company, this time as a superintendent of final assembly of flap actuators and shipping department in their Caldwell location. In 1981, John was hired by Pfizer Howmedica Orthopedics in Rutherford as a manufacturing engineer, then manager of the plastic department, then manager of product development. In 1994, he retired from the company as the assistant director of product development. John was the chairman of ASTME American Society of Tool and Manufacturing Engineers "Paterson Chapter" for two years. He was very active as a musician in a Three Piece Combo band, "The Sound Advice", for 33 years, in the North Jersey area. He also proudly served in the Naval Air Reserve at Floyd Field Brooklyn, NY from 1951 – 1955.
John Bley was the late husband of Joan (nee Neuberger) Bley (1979), Ruth (nee Hardin) Bley (2022). Father of Patrice Bley Mackey of Totowa, John Bley, Jr. and his wife Leslie of Wyckoff, NJ, and Ronald Bley of East Stroudsburg, PA. Grandfather of William Mackey, Jake Bley, Lily Bley, and Jeremy Bley. Great grandfather of Delaney Mackey. Stepfather of Midge Hanlon and her husband James, Mary-Edna Krutchkoff and her husband Alan, Roy Tutunjian and his wife Melissa, and John Tutunjian. Grandfather to their children, Nicholas, Alex, the late Brian, and Matthew. Great grandfather of Rowan and Taylor. Brother of Charlotte Damstra and the late Hazel Gustafson, son of the late Gustave A Bley and Alice (nee Steele) Bley.
Cremation will take place privately. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, August 25, 2024, at 3:30pm, at the Browning-Forshay Funeral Home, 557 Lafayette Avenue, Hawthorne. Friends may visit with the family prior to the service from 1:00 – 3:30pm.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Adopt a Soldier Platoon, P.O. Box 1111, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410(aasp.vet).