Obituary of John H. Polhemus

John H. Polhemus, 86, a longtime resident of Riverdale, died Saturday, December 3, 2022 in the care of his loving family.

Born in Paterson, NJ, John was the son of John and Jeanne Polhemus. Raised in Wyckoff, he was a 1954 graduate of Ramsey High School.

Enlisting in the Marines, he served proudly for his country during the Korean Conflict, though he never was sent abroad. While serving in the reserves, he was employed by the Bendix Corporation, and there met Gail Rafferty, who would become his wife.

Marrying in 1963, John and Gail lived in Clifton and Hawthorne before settling in Riverdale 52 years ago, where they lovingly raised two children. John supported his family as a self-employed contractor, and helped to renovate many of his family members' homes throughout his long career.

John found great joy in fishing, and loved nothing more than visiting Vermont to spend his days casting in the clear waters of the state's rivers. A true outdoorsman, he also greatly enjoyed hunting and toiling in his garden. John was very involved in The Riverdale Pistol Range, serving as President for many years. In 1999 he travelled to Ohio for the Outdoor Pistol Championships and was awarded High New Jersey Senior from the Associations of Rifle & Pistol Clubs.

John is lovingly survived by his wife, Gail; his children, Julie Nolan and her husband David, and Christopher Polhemus and his wife Caroline; and his grandchildren, Amelia Nolan, Darby Nolan, Meghan Polhemus, Christopher Polhemus, and Kendra Nolan.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, December 10 from 1-5 pm at the Riverdale Senior Center, 57 Loy Avenue, Riverdale NJ 07457. A presentation of honors by the U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard will take place at 2:30 pm. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in John's memory to Camp Nejeda or Southern Paws would be greatly appreciated by his family.