Rev. John Pfahler Jr.

Rev. John L. Pfahler Jr., 80, died Tuesday June 12, 2001 at his residence in Hackettstown, New Jersey. Rev. Pfahler was born March 28, 1921 in Bucyrus, Ohio and resided in many towns in the states of Ohio and New Jersey prior to moving to Hackettstown, New Jersey three years ago. He has served the Lord as a Reverend from 1941 to 2001 and most recently served the United Methodist Church of Anderson in Port Murray, New Jersey and Asbury in Asbury, New Jersey. He also served many other United Methodist Churches in Ohio including Kilbourne, Leonardsburg, Butler, Bellville, Newville and Libertyville, and in New Jersey, East Orange, Maplewood, Denville, New Providence, Phillipsburg, Caldwell, Port Morris and Allerton in Annandale, New Jersey. Rev. Pfahler specialized in creating and coordinating personal prayer ceremonies for weddings, funerals and many other events. He was a veteran of the United States Army and served as Sgt. Medic during World War II from 1943 to 1945. Rev. Pfahler served as Chaplain for the Denville and New Providence, New Jersey Police Departments and the Roxbury, New Jersey Fire Department. He was a member of the Musconetcong Lodge #151 F & AM in Budd Lake, New Jersey and the Masonic Lodge of Bellville, Ohio. He was also a member of VFW Post #2619 in Caldwell New Jersey. Rev. Pfahler was an avid fisherman, fly fisherman and outdoorsmen his entire life.

Surviving are his wife, Margaret Elaine Fox Pfahler; four daughters, Susan Nicholls of Bushkill, Pennsylvania; Rebecca Christian of Hackettstown, New Jersey; Judith Pfahler of Riverside, Rhode Island; and Laurie Pfahler of Browns Mills, New Jersey; one son, John Charles Pfahler of Hackettstown, New Jersey; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five sisters, Maxine Smith of Ohio; Patricia Whatman of Defiance, Ohio; Helen Bollinger of Tiffin, Ohio; Mary Strong of Butler, Ohio; and Janice Creps of Sabina, Ohio; and two brothers, Paul Pfahler of Lakeland, Florida and David Pfahler of Mansfield. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Rita Pfahler Sr.; his stepmother, Mary Davidson Pfahler; one brother, James F. Pfahler; and two sisters, Joanne McKee and Margaret Hudnall.

Friends may call at the Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors on Saturday June 16, 2001 from 12:00 noon to the time of funeral services, which will be held at 2:00 p.m. conducted by his beloved son-in-law, Rev. Grant Nicholls. Burial will be in Mansfield Memorial Park. A memorial service will be scheduled in New Jersey at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Centenary Fund and Preacher's Aid Society, c/o GNJAC , 22 Madison Ave., Madison, New Jersey 07940 or the American Cancer Society, Warren Division, 4 Updyke's Lane, Oxford, New Jersey, 07863.