John A. Turck, 84, of West Camp

WEST CAMP >> John A. Turck, 84, of West Camp, formerly of Kingston, passed peacefully Monday morning, July 8, 2019 at Health Alliance Hospital, Broadway Campus surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in Kingston on June 1, 1935 and was the son of the late Joseph and Stella Cwill Turck. He was a graduate of Kingston High School, class of 1954. He then served in the U.S. Army from 1955-1957. After serving in the Army, he was a patrolman for the Kingston Police Department from 1958-1961. He then joined the New York State Troopers, serving from 1961 till 1978.

He was the founder of the family business, Aqua Jet Pools & Spas in 1969, moving to the Town of Ulster in 1981. He was also a member of the North East Spa Pool Association. (NESPA)

John was a dedicated family man; his family was always his priority and recipients of his adoration. He enjoyed working in the family business and wouldn’t allow himself to truly retire.

He enjoyed traveling around the world and making new friends. He was gregarious, loved the art of socializing and had an absolute gift for making friends. If you traveled with John it was commonplace to be in a foreign country or distant airport and hear someone yelling, “Hey John” and then come running up and hug him. It would be a friend and apparent honorary member of the Turck family that he had met on previous travels. He made everyone he met feel important and good about themselves, whether it was a busboy, parking lot attendant, fellow business owner or complete stranger.

He was known for his charisma, his cheesy smile especially when he had a little something up his sleeve, which was usually him doing something kind and generous for someone else. He derived true joy in doing for others.

Combined with his infectious cheesy smile you would often get his familiar greetings of, “Hey Chief” or “Hey Baby” and being an avid NY Jets fan the frequent and sometimes over the top “J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets.” John also enjoyed his favorite after dinner drink, a Limoncello martini. He would be more than happy to provide the bartender with friendly instructions on the proper way to prepare the drink, it was an entertaining ritual.

John was the husband of Eleanor Hruska. They wed May 24, 1958 in Yonkers, NY. Also surviving are his daughters Kathryn Turck of Kingston, Carlene Hummell and her husband Stephen of Kingston, Christine Leonard and her husband Guy of Lake Katrine and Tanya Garraghan and her husband Patrick of Hurley.

His grandchildren Kristene Young and her husband Matthew, Brittany Leonard, Taylor Leonard, Stephen Hummell, Alexis Hummell, Jordan Hulbert, Gabriel Garraghan and two-great grandchildren Brooklyn Young and Kash Kostue, his siblings Frank Turck, Anthony Turck, Laura Tegart and Daniel Turck and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Joseph Turck.

Entrusted to Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, 326 Albany Avenue, Kingston, the family will receive their friends on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. On Friday the procession will form at the funeral home at 10 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated at St. Mary’s of the Snow RC Church, Saugerties at 11 a.m. Entombment in Wiltwyck Cemetery Mausoleum For those who wish, contributions in John’s memory may be made to UCSPCA, 20 Wiedy Road, Kingston, NY 12401.

A tribute for John may be found at www.KeyserFuneralService.com, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for his family.