John G. Brush

It is with great sorrow, but with even greater memories, that we share the passing of John Brush, age 67. John was born October 11th, 1956 in Hillside, NJ, and resided in Colonia, NJ until March 26th, 2024 when he passed in the company of his family. He was a loving husband, a remarkable father, an affectionate grandfather, and a selfless friend. John approached life with an eagerness to learn, strove to always remain present, and carried an inexhaustible care for those he loved. 

Many knew John as a quiet, serene man who always listened with intent and could deliver a well-timed joke at any moment. Whether you knew him from playing cards at the table, joking around and collaborating at work, or hanging out at the house, you knew his easy nature and effortless friendliness. He was happiest when people were gathered. As a husband and father, John was a steady force, a calming presence, your biggest fan, and a tremendous friend. Take a brief look through his Facebook profile and you’ll quickly see that family was his most cherished thing; he was immensely proud of the life we grew together. He taught us how to take a pause, how to be a goof, and to always return to each other. He also gave a damn good hug. 

John’s interests and accomplishments ran deep and wide. For years he practiced and taught martial arts, achieving his 2nd degree black belt in Kenpo and 3rd kyū in Aikido. It was in these classes that he met his future wife, Pat. Together they ran the NY marathon, went backpacking, and eventually raised a family. He was an avid skier, a secretly skilled illustrator, and a cutthroat card player. Food was a great passion of his, especially when shared. Hopefully you were fortunate enough to try his exceptional cooking, or to take a tour of his various fermentation projects and infusions. Any day of the week, he’d be happy to have Chinese food (his favorite), or settle down with a good glass of whiskey. John was a voracious reader and movie buff of all things fantasy and sci-fi; he could tell you anything about Star Wars, so it’s no wonder that his looks always drew comparisons to George Lucas. He never missed a superhero movie, and embodied the mild-mannered alter ego and the hero all at once. 

John was predeceased by his father, John, and mother, Gertrude, and had two loving sisters, Trudy and Ann. He always remembered his family fondly, and carried them with him while growing his own. He is survived in happy memory by his wife Pat, daughter Lauren, son-in-law Jorge, grandchildren Kaiden and Aleah, daughter Teri, son Shawn, and daughter-in-law Molly. 

John, Dad, you will be terribly missed. We know that you had so much life left to live and light to give, but we are overflowing with what you shared with us while you were here. We love you, and will talk to you soon. 

Visitation Tuesday April 2nd, 2024 from 3pm to 7pm at Gosselin Funeral Home: 660 New Dover Road, Edison, NJ 08820

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