John P. Mctague

John P. McTague Sr., affectionately known as Jack to his family and friends, passed away peacefully February 24, 2025, at the age of 92.8 years. A man of resilience, ingenuity, and unwavering dedication to his family, Jack lived a remarkable life that spanned nearly a century of profound change and personal achievement.

Born in Bridgeport, PA, in 1932, Jack grew up during the Great Depression, a time that shaped his resourcefulness and work ethic. The eldest child in his family of 8, he candled eggs and delivered milk from the back of a truck to help his parents make ends meet.  A passionate student, Jack daily commute to high school took him more than an hour, each way, on buses and trains.  After high school, he joined the Air Force and was sent to support the Korean War.  He served in Japan as a photographer and captured moments in history with a keen eye.

When he returned from his overseas service, Jack pursued higher education, graduating from Villanova University with a degree in Electrical Engineering. His career was a testament to his brilliance and adaptability, as he contributed to groundbreaking projects in technology. He built communication systems for nuclear submarines, developed mainframe computers for the Navy and Ford Motor Company—working with punch cards and oversized floppy disks—and later ran his own computer consulting business. Jack’s professional life was a bridge between the analog and digital eras, but he was often happiest just reading the paper with a black coffee and an Entenmann’s.

Beyond his career, Jack was a man of diverse passions and talents. He learned to throw a knuckleball from the legendary Tommy Lasorda and became an avid scratch golfer, proudly shooting under his age well into his 70s and 80s. A tinkerer at heart, his office and the basement were filled with measurement devices, computer parts and coffee cans filled with screws.  He was the proverbial jack-of-all-trades.

Jack’s personal life was defined by routine, love, and quiet support. He married his beloved wife Pat in 1959, and together they shared nearly 65 years of marriage until her passing in April 2024. A creature of habit, Jack woke at 5:55 am and returned home from work at 6:15 pm each evening, except when he played in a summer golf league on Mondays. He was a devoted father, cheering at his children’s swim meets, band competitions, and javelin throws, and rewarding good report cards with Friday night trips to Pizza Hut. While he never learned to swim himself—he watched his children compete at every pool across southeastern Pennsylvania — often with a camera in hand to capture the family’s moments in history.

In his later years, Jack became a tender caretaker for his wife, revealing a patience and compassion that touched his family deeply. A Depression-era baby, he balanced a firm hand with a gentle heart, supporting his children through their endeavors while holding a special soft spot for his daughter, who “could do no wrong.” His four sons however…

Jack was the yin to Pat’s yang, a steady and loving presence who gave his family everything.

Jack is predeceased by his wife of nearly 65 years and is survived by his children, Margie Patches of Ambler, PA, John McTague Jr. of Burbank, CA, Richard McTague of Unadilla, GA, Brendan McTague of Brick, NJ, and Christopher McTague of Redding, CT, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will carry forward his legacy of love, hard work, and creativity. He also leaves behind a wide circle of friends who cherished his stories, his humor, and his fondness for Pabst Blue Ribbon and jug white wine.

A private memorial service will be held for family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Villanova University’s Engineering Department or a veterans’ charity of your choice, in honor of Jack’s alma mater and his service in the Air Force. Jack’s family finds comfort in knowing he is now reunited with Pat, watching over them with the same steadfast love he showed in life.

Godspeed, Dad.

Villanova University - College of Engineering
800 E. Lancaster Ave., Villanova PA 19085

Veterans' Victory House
2461 Sidneys Road, Walterboro SC 29488

Disabled American Veterans
Web: https://www.dav.org/ways-to-give/

Tunnel to Towers
Web: http://www.tunnel2towers.org