Obituary of John E. Chuhinko

Bedminster - John Edward Chuhinko died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Saturday, August 29, 2009. He was 89. Born July 25, 1920 in New York City to the late John and Mary (Valkovich) Chuhinko , he was a resident of Bedminster for 47 years. He previously resided in West Orange and Manhasset , Long Island. He was a parishioner of St. Brigid R. C. Church in Peapack and St. Elizabeth's R. C. Church in Far Hills. Captain Chuhinko was a veteran of World War II, serving as an Artilliary Officer for the United States Army from 1942 until 1948. His tour of duty took him to the Aleutian Islands and into the South Pacific. He was wounded during his service, and was a recipient of the Purple Heart. Mr. Chuhinko entered the automobile industry in 1949, and was the owner of Bell Ford in Colonia from 1954 until his retirement in 1994. He was the Commodore of the Normandy Beach Yacht Club in New Jersey, serving an unprecedented two year term from 1971 through 1972. He was the president of the Menlo Park Federal Savings and Loan in 1968, and a charter member of the board of directors of the Raritan Valley National Bank, serving from 1968 until 1986. Mr. Chuhinko is survived by his wife of 65 years, the former Frances Marie (Campbell) Chuhinko; five children, John F. Chuhinko and his wife Suzanne of Tewksbury Twp.; Winifred Mortenson and her husband Christopher of Oldwick; Valerie Levanchy-Krienke and her husband Robert of Bernardsville; Mark G. Chuhinko and his wife Maryann of Washington Twp; and Frances Hildreth of Oldwick; thirteen grandchildren, Kimberly Ann; Jessica; Scott; Jonathan; John Oliver; Daniel; Matthew; Christopher; Andrew; Jennifer; Luke; Mary Frances; and Frances; and nine great-grandchildren, Garrett, Casey, Bobby, Mark, Winnie, Megan, May, Mia, and Matthew. Funeral Arrangements are by Bailey Funeral Home, 176 Main Street, Peapack, NJ 07977 (908) 234-0590. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. Funeral Services will be from the funeral home on Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 9:30 AM, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 AM at St. Brigid R. C. Church, Main Street, Peapack. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Mt. Airy Road in Basking Ridge. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory are requested by the family to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105 or to Little People of America NJ Chapter, c/o Robin Thibault, 87 Sutton Place, Florham Park, NJ 07932