John R. "Jack" Begin

1927 - 2023

BEGIN - Mr. John "Jack" R. Begin, 95, passed away on the morning of Saturday, April 29, 2023, in Kingsland, Ga.
Jack was born July 22, 1927, in Danvers, Mass., to the late Theresa and Jacob Begin. A World War II veteran, he proudly served in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. An undergraduate of Springfield College in Massachusetts, he later achieved two master's degrees in education from Columbia University in New York City and later attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, on an educational sabbatical.
Jack enjoyed longtime employment as a physical eduction instructor and athletic coach and later as an Earth science teacher. He was inducted in the Bergen County, N.J., Coaching Hall of Fame and pioneered the first wrestling program for River Dell Sr. High School (N.J.) and also worked as a referee for football, soccer and wrestling. He enjoyed sharing that he once coached football coaching legend Bill Parcells and encouraged a young Bob Gaudio to pursue his musical aspirations. Gaudio would become a member of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Jack loved to sing himself, often entertaining others with his renditions of "I Had a Hat When I Came In" and "You are My Sunshine" and a constant stream of witticisms and puns. He was a certified Master Gardener, and enjoyed woodcrafting in his backyard studio of his home in Hackensack, N.J. At the end of each school year, the family home would fill with "Foster" plants needing vacation care and a multitude of domesticated and wild pets in need of healing or a new home. Decades of summers also found him managing several private Bergen County swim clubs.
He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Mary (Cindy) Begin; daughter, Lisa Kruysman (Richard, dec.) of St. Marys, Ga.; son, John Begin (Gigi) of Cambridge, N.Y.; daughter, the late Manette Begin-Loudon (David Lender); son, the late Matthew Begin; sister, Marcie Dzierzanowski of Tarpon Springs, Fla.; beloved grandchildren, Jacob Begin (Jessica), Roxanne Begin, Olivia Begin, Gabriel Begin and the late Zachary Loudon; great-grand-daughter, "Spy" Fontayne; myriad of loving nieces and nephews, friends and colleagues; and granddog, Quint.
A private military service and internment will be held in the future. To honor his memory, please consider making a donation to the charity of your choice.
Coastal Camden Funeral Home in Kingsland, Ga., is entrusted with Mr, Begin's arrangements.