Seeley I. Drew, 94, went home to be with his Lord & Savior Jesus Christ on January 16, 2021, surrounded by his loving family. Because of his relationship with Jesus, we know that he is rejoicing in his eternal home.
He was born December 22, 1926, to Irving & Hazel Cooper Drew in Franklin, NJ, and lived all of his life in Sussex County with the exception of serving his country for 2 ½ years in the US Navy.
Seeley was brought up on a farm in Vernon, NJ, where he had his own poultry business starting at age 12. He attended Sussex High School until the age of 17, at which time he enlisted in the US Navy and served on the USS Mauna Loa Ammunition ship in the South Pacific during WWII.
After returning home from military duty, he married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Peggy Barker on April 27, 1947. They raised three children; Jim, Bob and Lois and celebrated 73 adventurous years of marriage.
Seeley worked for GLF – Agway as an Installation and Repair Technician on many of the local dairy farms and private homes in the county for 42 years.
He was a member of the Lafayette Federated Church for many years where he served as an Elder, Sunday School Teacher, building committee member and he helped construct the Lafayette Federated Church building located at that time on Meadows Road.
He was a member of the AE/AOE Sailors Association; life member of the Sampson WWII Navy Vets; former Lafayette Township School Board member and Township Treasurer as well as having served on the Township Playground committee. Seeley was a former member of the Lake Pochung Outing Association. He enjoyed gardening, hunting and sailing his sailboat on Lake Pochung.
In retirement, he and Peggy enjoyed traveling through 39 states and parts of Canada camping in their motor home.
He is survived by his wife Marguerite (Peggy) and children - Jim (Jerrine) Drew, Bob (Dianne) Drew and Lois (Henry) Huizinga; eight grandchildren – Nathan (Lori) and Ryan (Kimberly) Drew; Kyle (Sarah) and Patrick (Keara) Drew; Alison (Broc) Small; Mike Huizinga, Dave (Ashley) Huizinga and Melissa (Kevin) Turshman.
In addition, there are 21 great-grandchildren: Hunter, Austin, Noah, Sonja and Anna Drew; Abbey, Jayden, Cooper and Ellie Drew; Jacob, Gavin and Benjamin Drew; Brantley and Tanner Drew; Maggie, Anna and Timothy Huizinga; Rosie and Charlie Huizinga; and Kendra and Luke Turshman. He especially enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s many events.
He is also survived by a sister-in-law and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Irving E. and Hazel Cooper Drew and two great-grandchildren.
Seeley will be dearly missed by his family and many friends.
A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 21, 2021, at Lafayette Federated Church, 180 Route 15, Lafayette. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., at the church. Interment will be private.
Memorial donations may be made to the Lafayette Federated Church, 180 Route 15, Lafayette, NJ 07848; Karen Ann Quinlan Foundation, 99 Sparta Avenue, Newton, NJ 07860; SCARC Foundation, 11 US Highway 206, Suite 100, Augusta, NJ 07822; St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or a charity of your choice.
The memorial service will be available for viewing on the Lafayette Federated Church website.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Smith-McCracken Funeral Home, 63 High Street, Newton. Online condolences may be offered at www.smithmccrackenfuneralhome.com
