John D. "Jack" Gilchrist

John D. "Jack" Gilchrist
John D. "Jack" Gilchrist, 96, of Ridgefield, husband of Ann Marie (McGovern) Gilchrist, died on Friday, October 10, 2025. He was born on March 9, 1929, in New York City, the son of Irene (Hannan) Gilchrist and John M. Gilchrist. Jack grew up in Mt. Vernon, NY, attending local schools and graduated from A.B. Davis High School in 1947. He later attended and graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree.
During the Korean War, Jack served with distinction as a Special Agent with the United States Army Counter Intelligence Corps, followed by five years in the U.S. Army Reserve.
In 1957, Jack and Ann were married, and they moved to Ridgefield, CT, in 1967. In addition to his wife, Jack is survived by two daughters, Betty Ann Meny and her husband Robert of Redding, Linda Andrews and her husband Michael of Ridgefield, plus nine grandchildren: Jessica and her husband Kevin Kolahi, Ryan Gilchrist and his wife Julia, Brynn, Nicholas and Scott Gilchrist, Paxton Meny, Patrick, Caitlin and Brendan Andrews, and three great-grandchildren, Claire Kolahi, and Margot and Phoebe Gilchrist. Jack was predeceased by his son, John Gunning Gilchrist.
Jack was a parishioner at St. Mary Parish in Ridgefield for many years. During that period, he served at various times as a lector and usher as well as director and co-director of the Respect Life Committee in addition to teaching CCD classes during the 1970s. Jack was also a member of the Marquette Council of the Knights of Columbus and the St. Mary Men's Ministry. Following his retirement, Jack became a member of the American Legion Post #78 and the Ridgefield Men's Club, where he was for a time a member of the executive committee.
Jack devoted his working career largely to the pharmaceutical industry beginning with Lederle Laboratories, a division of American Cyanamid, in a sales capacity, later with Mead Johnson Laboratories and then the American Medical Association finally serving as President of Media for Medicine, Inc., for several years until his retirement in 1995.
Family and friends will be received on Sunday, October 19, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Kane Funeral Home; 25 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Monday, October 20, 2025 at 10:00 AM in Saint Mary's Church; 55 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. Interment will follow in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Ridgefield. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to the Sisters of Life - 38 Montebello Road; Suffern, NY 10901, or online, https://sistersoflife.givevirtuous.org/donate/donations-usa