John J. Gural

John James Gural Sr., January 19, 1938 to March 10, 2024. John was known by nicknames Nicker to his wife Miriam, or Nick to his closest friends, and Jackie to the rest of his family.
Only four short weeks after the passing of his wife, Miriam, John passed away at Samaritan Hospice in Voorhees, NJ. After a lifetime together, John was broken-hearted by the sudden loss of his wife of nearly 66 years. They had met on the boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ and were committed to sharing a life together. Now, they are together once again dancing to Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole.
John leaves behind his children John (Ellie), Jeff (Tricia), Jeanne, Michael (Tracey), and Dan (Erin); his grandchildren Lauren, Amanda, Elizabeth (Robbie), Olivia, Michael Jr., Thomas John, and Nicholas; great grandchild Jax; sister Terry Gregg, and brother Jimmy Gregg (Linda).
One of John's favorite roles was being Poppop and Great Poppop to those eight wonderful "kids."
How does one define success? Is it based on material wealth, fancy cars, or a large house? If so, John had none of those. But if you define success based on supporting your family by going to work at the same employer for over 30 years, by making sure there was always enough for everyone to have full bellies and to feel loved, to set aside the time and money to take adventurous family vacations every year, to volunteer to help start a successful sports program for local kids that still exists today (Palmyra Riverton Athletic Association), or buying a home in a wonderful small town in which to raise a family and allow your children to form lifelong friendships, then John was truly successful. John retired as the Welding Superintendent for 26 Shop of the Philadelphia Navy Yard decades ago. He then spent his time relaxing, fishing, and playing cards with Miriam in their vacation cottage in the Mariners Cove community in Delaware. This was the cottage his beloved wife Miriam named The Summer Wind. One of his favorite activities in Delaware was to fish lawn ornaments and deck furniture out of Rehoboth Bay after a storm and reunite it with its family. He did not want to see the bay polluted, plus he wasn't much of a crabber so it gave him a purpose to take his boat out. After 15 years in Delaware, John and Miriam decided to move back to NJ to be nearer their children and grandchildren.
One of the most notable aspects of John was his quick mind, sharp wit and sense of humor. When his children entered their teenage years, they all found it difficult not to laugh while being reprimanded by him as he would say some of the funniest things with the utmost seriousness. John was a fan of all sports, but most especially loved the Philadelphia Eagles, the Phillies, and old-school boxers. John joined the army as a teenager and spent time in Alaska, which he remembered with great fondness. John
also expanded his boxing training while in the Army, which led to all his children understanding the basics of boxing as a sport and an art. John could be a tough guy when needed, but he also had a beautiful singing voice, lovely handwriting, and even dabbled in poetry. Above everything else, John loved his wife, and believed in the strength of family and community. He probably had no idea how many lives he touched in a positive way.
John did not want a service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider making a donation in John's memory to the Samaritan Hospice of Voorhees, NJ. https://www.samaritannj.org/hospice-care/inpatient-hospice-nj/voorhees/