John J. French, a lifelong resident of Bergenfield NJ, passed away on May 13, 2020 with his devoted wife Diane Welsh French at his side. Son of the late Catherine Doyle and Lester French, John is survived by his loving sisters, Catherine French, Mary Ann French-Howarth, her husband Alan, and cherished niece Allison Howarth. John was the beloved stepfather of Timothy Welsh and his wife Erin, loving "Pop" to Thomas, Amelia and Keira Welsh and much loved son-in-law of Helen Welsh. John will be missed by his many friends and Doyle and French cousins. John was a proud graduate of Don Bosco Prep and earned a business degree from the College of Insurance and later was an adjunct professor of Insurance at John Jay College. A retired insurance executive, John began his career with AIG and enjoyed success with several firms, most recently Crum & Foster in Morristown. As an active member of the Bergenfield community, John was a past Chairman of the Planning Board and a former President of the Jaycees. John was an avid golfer and lifelong fan of the Yankees and Jets. John and Diane enjoyed spending time with family and friends at his homes in Clearwater, Florida and Eastham on Cape Cod. A memorial Mass and celebration of Life will be planned for a later date. Donations in John's memory to the Friends of the Bergenfield Library or the Patricia Lynch Cancer Center at Holy Name Hospital (www.holyname.org) are requested.
