Obituary of John E. Needham

Warrensburg John E. Needham, 86 of Fourth Ave. Warrensburg passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family to rejoin his wife, family and friends in Heaven on Wednesday morning December 1, 2021. Born August 28, 1935 in Warrensburg, he was the son of the late Reginald Sr. and Alice (Perkins) Needham. Always a hard worker and early in John's life, he was a paperboy for the Post-Star. He also told tales of when he was a "manual pin setter" for the bowling alleys at the Colonial Arms Hotel in Warrensburg. After high school, John enlisted and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War between 1954-58. He attained the rank of Staff Sergeant, and was a crew chief mechanic for the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars, which were cargo and troop carrier airplanes. He was stationed in Dreux, France and Rhein-Main, Germany. After his honorable discharge and return to Warrensburg, John met the love of his life, Bertha Jane Butler while at a square dance. They were married on June 27, 1959, and quickly started their large family of six children. John worked for the Grand Union supermarket chain, would become general manager for many of the stores in the area, and retire from the company in 1988. For a short time, John also worked part time as a projectionist for the Glen Drive-In located in Queensbury. Along with raising his family with his wife Bertha, John enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, family gatherings, cookouts, snowmobiling, building and flying radio-controlled model airplanes, playing piano for square dances at Northwoods, car shows, country music, working with wood, home improvement projects, NASCAR, NY Mets baseball, and researching Needham family genealogy. Besides his parents, John is predeceased by his wife Bertha Jane (Butler) Needham, brothers, Reginald Needham Jr. and Thomas Needham. A half-sister, Pamela Needham and stepmother, Marie (Huggins) Needham. John is survived by his six children, Kevin (fiancé Tammy) Needham of Glens Falls, Ricky Needham (partner Crystal) of Chestertown, Terry (Peggy) Needham of Warrensburg, Steven (Donna) Needham of Phoenix, AZ, Michael (Carrie) Needham of East Berne, Darcy (Paul) LaCross of Hartford. Grandchildren: Kevin Abate, Stacy Needham, Chanelle (Dan) Porto, Tia (Joshua) Gonzalez, Travis (fiancé Claudia) Needham, Alicia LaCross, Misty (Mike) DeCaro, Heather LaCross, Max Needham, Benjamin Needham. Great grandchildren: Rylan Abate, Dominic, Mia, & Johnny Porto, Ava & Hailey Gonzalez, Gabriella DeCaro. Twin brother James (Gail) Needham of Athol, Richard (Charlotte) Needham of Thurman, Half-brother Craig Needham of Lake Luzerne and many nieces and nephews. John had a great sense of humor, witty sayings and a contagious laugh we will all miss. A special thank you to John's many care givers, especially: Jenn Nemec, Brenda Crawford, Scott Newton, Jenn Settles, and Sue Matos. A private graveside service with full military honors will be held at the Warrensburg Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to either the Alzheimer’s Association or the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation. Please visit www.alexanderfh.net for online guest book and condolences.