John B. Margenot Jr., beloved husband, father, grandfather, great
grandfather, friend and local civic leader, died peacefully this week at
the age of 98.
Born in Greenwich in 1928, John was the youngest child of
enterprising Italian immigrants.
He was known as a calm, intelligent, compassionate and honest man with a sharp wit. As a young child John was raised in the heart of Greenwich in an immigrant community on Steamboat Road. The modest family house that he lived in with his parents and 3 siblings was across from a gritty coal yard, where the upscale Delamar Hotel now sits. From this community along the waterfront John observed his parents and neighbors strive to improve their lives and achieve the American Dream.
John was a proud American and grew up during the global conflict of WWII. His early years were shaped by the war, when as a child he was eager to assist his country in defeating tyranny. He volunteered to be a spotter at the old Town Hall, keeping an eye out for enemy war planes. This act of being a part of the war effort was perhaps John’s first demonstration of volunteerism and patriotism, which would follow him throughout his life and define his legacy.
John was a member of the Greenwich High School class of 1946, where he served as class president. After graduating he enlisted in the United States Armed Forces and was sent to Okinawa, serving with the army to rebuild Japan for a two year period. The war had a lasting impact on him and inspired lifelong passions for both the intricacies of WWII as well as a life centered on public service.
He later attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he also served as class president, as a beneficiary of the GI Bill. He graduated from RPI with a degree in civil engineering in 1954. His formal training as a civil engineer at RPI prepared him for designing and redesigning structures, both physical and political.
In 1955 he married the love of his life, Dolores “Dolly” D’Elia, also a Greenwich native. The two possessed the shared experience of being children of immigrants who watched their families forge lives in the Greenwich community and build prominent businesses contributing to their beloved hometown of Greenwich. John worked in his family’s iron fabrication business, Connecticut Iron Works, alongside his brothers Albert and Carl. Together they built the business and expanded into real estate development along Steamboat Road.
While working at the family business, he also spent several decades in many volunteer positions. Leading up to his tenure as First Selectman he was an active member of the PTA, a Boy Scout leader, served on the Board of Estimate and Taxation, the Representative Town Meeting, the Board of Ethics, served as a state appointed arbitrator and countless other civic related organizations. John retired from the family business in 1985 after being elected to the Greenwich Board of Selectmen. He served as a Selectman for two terms from 1981-1985 and was then elected to 5 terms as First Selectman beginning in 1985.
John was the first Italian American First Selectman in Greenwich and held the record of 5 terms in office for some years. John believed in consensus building, in compromise, in picking apart the good pieces of solutions to put together a winning plan for lasting resolution. The John Margenot Atrium in the Greenwich Public Safety Complex was dedicated in his name in 2017 to recognize the contributions of his local leadership in the community as a “son of Greenwich”. John lived a lifetime of public service, over 65 years earning him a lasting legacy.
John was a chronic volunteer, always busy raising money for little league, flipping burgers at the annual block party and gathering petition signatures to build sidewalks. Whatever was required, he was always available and happy to roll up his sleeves and contribute. He was a founding and lifelong member of St. Agnes Church in Greenwich. His devout faith guided him throughout his life and he was grounded by moral clarity and respect for others.
John, a proud “townie delighted in many local activities that Greenwich locals hold dear: riding the Island Beach boat; taking in the fireworks at Bruce Park; marching down Greenwich Avenue as part of annual holiday festivities; having dinner at his family’s restaurant, Manero’s; ice skating on the Mianus River with his kids; and cheering on his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as they grew into adults.
Small in stature, he was a giant of a man and he will be sorely missed by all who crossed paths with him.
John is survived by his wife of 71 years, Dolly; his children John (Maricarmen) Richard (Joan) Mark, Anne (Tom Gale), Hilary (Eric Griffin); his grandchildren Adam (Sophie), Amanda, Andrew (Mandy), Isabelle, Joel, Justine (fiancée Brian), Lucas, Max (Avery), Natalie and Trevor (Kiera); his great-grandchildren Imogen (Max), Killian and Luca (Andrew). He was predeceased by his sister Vera, and his brothers Albert and Carl.
Calling hours will be at Fred D. Knapp Funeral Home located at 134 Hamilton Avenue in Greenwich on Thursday 10/22 from 4:00-8:00pm. A mass of Christian burial will be held on Friday 10/23 at 10:00am at St. Mary’s Church at 178 Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich, followed by a burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery on North Street.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to Pathways, located at 175 Milbank Avenue in Greenwich.