John Francis Fahey

John (“Jack”) Francis Fahey, 79, of Latham, New York passed away suddenly but peacefully at his home on October 25th. He was born in 1942 in Albany New York to John and Helen Fahey, and is survived by his younger siblings, Maureen, Tom, Michael, Carolyn and Terry. He was a graduate of Vincention Institute and went on to serve in the United States Army as a Hawk Missile Field Technician covering Eastern Europe during the Cold War. He returned to Albany and spent countless nights at the Elbo Room where he met his first wife, and nursing student, Linda (Greenman). He is also survived by their two sons, Paul and Peter, both of Latham and their wives Kelly (Primeau) and Jill (Tribula), respectively. An avid reader and armchair historian, Jack told (and retold) stories of the O’Connell kidnapping (his great uncle), famous battles, and local politics. He recognized the significance of the moment and woke his infant son Paul to witness the Appolo landing with him. He also cherished the memories of his time quietly fishing for bass at Lake St. Catherine, and deer hunting in the forests of Vermont with his son, Peter. His handmade train set, Halloween costumes, and camping gear delighted the boys as children and bring a smile to their faces as they think of him today. Jack was a dedicated civil servant with a career at the Department of Motor Vehicles that spanned five decades and he grew from punchcards and paper-pusher to the Chief of Data Processing and architect of their mainframe computer technology. In retirement, he embraced technology and was an early adopter of forwarding emails and weather reports to everyone he knew. He was not a fan of the former Governor (all of them) and “worshipped the ground that waits for them.” He also served in leadership roles of the North Colonie Ambulance squad where he made many friends especially Elliot Schwebel. He is preceded in death by his second wife, Elizabeth Marcolini. They were inseparable and could often be found together popping corks of red wine, debating politics (he always lost), cooking gourmet meals, and exploring the United States on endless vacations and cruises. They especially enjoyed the rocky coast of Maine where they spent time with their family in both summer and winter. In later years, his greatest joy came from his grandchildren, Chloe, Hannah, Caroline, and Harris. He proudly told (and retold) stories of their academic, athletic, and military achievements. The world is a sadder (and frankly, quieter) place without him but his quick sense of humor, duty to country, dedication to public service, and devotion to family will live on in earnest. In accordance with his wishes, there will be no calling hours and an interment with full military honors at the Gerald Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery followed by a reception in January at the time of what would’ve been his 80th birthday.

John Francis Fahey

January 21, 1942 - October 25, 2021