Obituary of James Thomas Cleary

1948 – 2025

James Thomas Cleary, 76, of Washington, Twp. New Jersey, and Noord, Aruba, formerly of Montgomery Township, passed away peacefully on September 9, 2025, surrounded by his loving family, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Born in Hackensack, Jim grew up in Little Ferry and attended Ridgefield Park High School. He went on to graduate Cum Laude with a B.A. in Economics, where he was a proud member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the International Honor Society in Economics, and recipient of a prestigious fellowship to Harvard University. During college, he served as president of Beta Sigma Rho fraternity, where he formed lifelong friendships.

After his studies, Jim proudly served as a loadmaster in the U.S. Air Force and later enlisted in the New Jersey Army National Guard. He continued his education by earning his MBA in Business Administration from Rutgers Graduate School.

Jim enjoyed a long and accomplished career with NJ Bell/Bell Atlantic, where he notably oversaw the implementation of the 908 area code in New Jersey. Following his retirement from Bell Atlantic, he joined Computer Horizons and pursued his entrepreneurial spirit by opening a Play It Again Sports store and later founding his own real estate appraisal company.

A parishioner of St. Charles Borromeo Church, Jim was deeply rooted in his community, coaching both traveling soccer and baseball in Montgomery. He was an avid golfer, sports enthusiast, lover of animals, and technology aficionado. Above all, Jim cherished time with his family, who were the center of his world.

He was predeceased by his parents, Thomas and Mary Cleary; his sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Paul Iurato; and his sister-in-law, Rosary Mineo Pollara.

Jim’s memory will live on in the hearts of his beloved wife of 53 years, Joan (née Mineo); his sons Patrick and wife Tara of Bethlehem Township, NJ, and Michael and wife Dana of Sparta, NJ; and his adored grandchildren Brandon, Tyler, Riley Lynn, and Quinn Joelle, who brought him endless joy. He is also survived by his sisters- and brothers-in-law Mary and Ronald Drotos, Joseph Pollara, Patricia and Walter Krapf, as well as many loving nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

Friends and relatives may gather with Jim's family on Sunday, September 14th, from 12:00 until 2:00 PM with a service and Military Honors starting at 2:00PM. All services will be held at Martin Funeral Home, located at 1761 Route 31, Clinton NJ 08809. Cremation was held privately. To share memories with the family please visit www.martinfh.com

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Please Click Here to Donate) or the ASPCA (Please Click Here to Donate), both of which were causes close to Jim’s heart.