JOHN (JACK) McGUANE JR. lived a remarkable life full of achievements, love, and inspiration. He served in the Navy during World War II, attended college, raised a family, and became a beloved Ohio poet. Jack was born in Oceanside, New York, and passed away peacefully on March 17th, 2024, at Cleveland Clinic's Avon Hospital under their hospice care. Of course, the proud Irishman picked St. Patrick's Day to make an exit at the age of 96.

Jack was married to Kathleen Moriarty McGuane for 65 years before she passed away in September 2022. Together, they raised five children: Kathleen, Madeleine O'Malley (Patrick), Mary Selhorst (Tim), Deirdre, and John III. Jack is survived by his six grandchildren: Elizabeth, Michael, Deirdre, Patrick O'Malley, Kathleen (aka Katie), and Hannah Selhorst. He was also survived by his sister, Madeleine Muller (Edwin), who resides on Long Island, New York. His parents, John Joseph McGuane Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Nolan McGuane, and his sister, Patricia Kurtz (Bill), preceded him in death.

Jack spent his early life in Valley Stream, New York, and at the family's summer bungalow on Breezy Point in Queens. He attended Valley Stream High School, class of 1945. His sister Patricia accepted his diploma on his behalf since he left school early to join the Navy. Jack and Kathleen met on a ferry from Rockway to Manhattan, where they both worked. They married in 1957 and had five children while living on Long Island, New York. The family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in the mid-1970s and joined St. Clements Parish in Lakewood, Ohio, where they remained members for over 40 years. Jack also served as a Eucharistic Minister. Jack and Kathleen moved to Vitalia Senior Living in Westlake in early 2020.

Jack joined the Navy at 17 years old and was in the Pacific theater for several years. After leaving active duty, he attended Utica College/Syracuse University in New York and studied public relations/journalism. After retiring from Fireye at 70, he took advantage of Project 60 at Cleveland State University. He began taking writing and poetry courses and never stopped learning. He also did some coursework at John Carroll University and Tri-C.

Besides doing the New York Times crossword puzzle in ink on a daily basis, our dad always had a hobby or creative outlet, but poetry eventually became a large part of his retirement life. When we gathered for holidays, Dad would spontaneously break out into poetry and we all eventually realized how talented he was. He was well respected in the Northeast Ohio poetry scene. He was a regular reader and often could be found at the Literary Café poetry series, Mahalls Bowling Alley, Lakewood Library, Shaker Heights Library, Deep Cleveland, the Milliard-Fillmore, Visible Voice Books, and Macs Backs Bookstore (to name a few). He was the Poet Laureate of Lakewood from (2006-2007). He inaugurated the first Haiku Death Match at the Cleveland City Hall Rotunda in 2007 with other poets. In a subsequent match, he won the "Haiku-Death Match," a feat he was particularly proud of. He served three years as poetry editor of Whiskey Island Magazine and had three published books on his poetry. He spoke at local schools and his poems have appeared in various journals and anthologies. Later in life, he lost a lot of his sight, but his mind was still sharp, and he continued to write when he became inspired. His pals said they would miss Jack for his humor and kind-hearted voice in the Cleveland literary scene.

However, our father's most important life skill was being an absolutely phenomenal father. He was the dad who told all his children, no matter what time of day or where you are, if you need me, call me, and I will be there. He was AMAZING. His love for his children had no boundaries; he was the guy who would fix anything, drive us anywhere, pick up the grandkids, and show up to be where we needed him. He loved us in such an extraordinary way, and we felt that love throughout our entire lives. His loss has left a huge hole in our hearts. We love you dearly, Dad!

His spirituality was also an integral part of his life. In the last few decades, he loved joining his friends at Centering Space in Lakewood, Ohio every Wednesday for prayer, reflection and meditation.

Please consider a donation in honor of John J. McGuane to the Centering Space https://centeringspace.org/support/donate/ or Cleveland Clinic Hospice Care.

Mass of Christian Burial Monday, June 3, 2024, St. Luke Church (1212 Bunts Rd., Lakewood) at 10 A.M. Inurnment Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery at 12:45 P.M..

SLEEPING WITH MY SOCKS by Jack McGuane
I needn't wonder anymore what it's like
having something that could kill me.
Sometimes I feel worse
than the old broken tree
In Grace Paley's poem
hanging on by the tips of my branches.
But, it's true, what the she said,
If you've liked life, you do it.

My favorite movie right now is Wit,
a literary woman dying of cancer,
but there's a little hope.
John Donne taught her that death is a comma
between life and life everlasting.

This tumor jerked me out of my
watchtower-on-the-mountaintop
and flung me down in the flatlands
where pretensions are quickly scraped away.
Now that I'm here Donne's comma
seems more like a question mark,
and little things count more than ever,
like anchovies in my salad
and sleeping with my socks.