John P. Blessington
March 29, 1933 - February 27, 2024
John P. “Jack” Blessington of Weston, MA, passed away unexpectedly on February 27, 2024. He was 90. Born in the Bronx to Mary and George Blessington, he was the youngest of four children and proud of his Irish and Bronx heritage. Jack and his wife Pat (Murray) of 65 years were longtime residents of Cos Cob, CT.
Jack graduated from Fordham Preparatory School before attending St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. Years later, he earned a Master of Education from Fairfield University.
Jack had careers in both education and television, although teaching was his true passion. His first teaching job was at Saint David’s School in Manhattan. From there, he joined Whitby School in Greenwich, CT, becoming its headmaster in 1962. Whitby revived Montessori education in the United States, and over the 11 years he ran the school, it became the preeminent Montessori school in the country. Jack’s views on education were unorthodox to say the least and landed him regular speaking engagements throughout the country, as well as on local and national talk shows. His approach to education can be found in his book Let My Children Work, published by Doubleday in 1973. He later served as Headmaster of Berkshire School of Sheffield, MA, and The Unquowa School of Fairfield, CT.
Jack also had a distinguished career in television. A believer in television as an educational tool, it was only appropriate that Jack joined CBS in 1979 as Director, Television Reading Program and eventually became Vice President, Broadcast Relations. Jack later became the head of the network’s Religious Unit and then head of Religion and Culture programming, where he served as executive producer of its documentary series for over 30 years. He retired from CBS in 2019.
Jack’s many recognitions and awards for his work in education and television include three honorary doctorates, two Wilbur Awards (for recognition of excellence in the communication of religious issues, values, and themes), and a Daytime Emmy Award for Religious Programming.
Devoutly Catholic and deeply spiritual, Jack served on the board of the American Bible Society and was a regular contributor to Catholic publications. As a former seminarian, he was an avid reader of books on faith and religion and spoke at conferences on all things religious. As he once said in an interview, “I am a church-attending Roman Catholic who argues for ecumenism.”
On the lighter side, Jack was a big personality with a quick wit. He was known for his sense of humor and next-level ability as a storyteller, drawing regularly on his experiences growing up Irish Catholic in the Bronx as the son of a New York City fireman. He was a longtime member of the University Club, where he could be seen on occasion after work enjoying his usual – a Dewar’s neat, in a wine glass with a lemon peel and water back.
In addition to his loving wife Pat, Jack is survived by his three children: Patricia Heneghan, John Blessington (Anne), and Thomas Blessington (Martha), and eight grandchildren: Shannon Jutras (Phil) and John Heneghan; Chase, Emme, and Jack Blessington; and Madison, Kathryn, and Ben Blessington.
Family and friends are invited to calling hours on Saturday, March 9, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, 31 Arch Street, Greenwich, CT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 469 North Street, Greenwich, CT.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org).