Hi to you all. I hope this message gets to each of you who were asking or commenting about Jay.
I've traveled all day from Virginia today, to our place in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Having arrived email and messages have been catching up because we have very poor reception here.
Anyway I just called my brother Ron after reading the comments and questions about Jay's death. (I remembered that Ron had told me what happened years back.)
Here are some salient facts that Ron just re-iterated to me:
The night before his death Jay was at a party with my brother Ron. Both had been good friends as were many of you.
The following night Jay, who as many of you know was a professional A/C guy (and in his own business by then), went up into the second story attic of his own home to replace a burned out fan. It was immensely hot. Knowing his job and apparently having confidence, Jay did not go down and turn off the electric current in his house. He was on his back in an extremely hot space and attempted to replace the fan. The 110 volt current cable dropped upon him and killed him.
Ron's Fire Department team responding to an emegerncy call was called to the house. Ron's team knew Jay was a close friend of Ron. They went in, found Jay dead. They prevented Ron from going directly with them. They themselves brought Jay's body out and then together with Ron removed Jay.
I just told Ron that I would get on the Web and convey what he told me. I told him I would request anyone with further questions to contact him directly. Ron lives in Plainview LI.
Ron's personal email address is: ronlaw12000@yahoo.com
He is at his birthday party tonight - the old guy! Tomorrow he will get on email and read the questions and comments.
As per my question to Ron as to what year, Jay died by electrocution in the early 70's, Ron's immediate recollection was about 1971. Please remember my call and questioning came while he was with family at a birtyhday party for him - no he could walk a straight line. In all seroiusness while the date evaded him when I asked, the memory of the happening was like yesterday. They were close friends as had many of you been.
But please don't hesitate to contact him for any further information. I've asked him to correct anything I have passed that may be inaccurate. Remember we are all suspeptible to, as Rachial Spinella Ditmar reminded me, "CRS." Yea, Can't Remember "Some" Things - Okay I'm keeping it publishable.
I saw Richie Roughgardens name on the wall of those who died in thr vietnam war, he was killed in 1969.
He was a LT. I believe he died from a friendly fire episode that happened in his barracks, I was told it was an accident. Bob Beatie and I knew Richie very well. He was from Hawthorne NJ. But I don't know if he attended Hawthorne high school. I knew if after High School, we were in the Navy reserve together.
Hi all, Lon Lawson is correct. I knew Jay and Mary Ann well. It was my understanding that at the time Jay could have survived the jolt he received except for the fact that it hit him between heart beats and stopped his heart. Such a tragedy, they had only been married a short time.
In answer to the question about Richard Roughgarden, his story is written in the book "Small Town, Big Sacrifice". This is a newly published book about all the men and women from Hawthorne who died in wars, from WW 1 to the present day. His story, as well as that of my first husband, Dennis Simone, HHS class of 1960, are included in this book. Ironically, both Dennis and Richard were killed the same way, in Viet Nam, by an accidental discharge of another's rifle. Richard did not attend HHS, but graduated from St.Peter's Prep School in Jersey City. Our small town of Hawthorne is comitted to honoring the 76 service people who gave their lives for our freedom by naming the streets near each one's home after that individual. We had Dennis' ceremony last November, on Veteran's Day, and it was a truly moving experience.
Virginia Tanis (Gonzalez)
Jay worked in his father's electrical business and was electrocuted on the job, I think.
George Vander Weit
This is what I remember. He was working on an AC unit in an attic when this tradgety occured.
Theodore Carbone
I remenber Jay did work for his dad in the electrical business. I recall he was electrocuted working in his own home. RIP Jay
Lynn Moskowitz (DeLisi)
I believe he died in the Vietnam War.
Lon Lawson
Hi to you all. I hope this message gets to each of you who were asking or commenting about Jay.
I've traveled all day from Virginia today, to our place in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Having arrived email and messages have been catching up because we have very poor reception here.
Anyway I just called my brother Ron after reading the comments and questions about Jay's death. (I remembered that Ron had told me what happened years back.)
Here are some salient facts that Ron just re-iterated to me:
The night before his death Jay was at a party with my brother Ron. Both had been good friends as were many of you.
The following night Jay, who as many of you know was a professional A/C guy (and in his own business by then), went up into the second story attic of his own home to replace a burned out fan. It was immensely hot. Knowing his job and apparently having confidence, Jay did not go down and turn off the electric current in his house. He was on his back in an extremely hot space and attempted to replace the fan. The 110 volt current cable dropped upon him and killed him.
Ron's Fire Department team responding to an emegerncy call was called to the house. Ron's team knew Jay was a close friend of Ron. They went in, found Jay dead. They prevented Ron from going directly with them. They themselves brought Jay's body out and then together with Ron removed Jay.
I just told Ron that I would get on the Web and convey what he told me. I told him I would request anyone with further questions to contact him directly. Ron lives in Plainview LI.
Ron's personal email address is: ronlaw12000@yahoo.com
He is at his birthday party tonight - the old guy! Tomorrow he will get on email and read the questions and comments.
As per my question to Ron as to what year, Jay died by electrocution in the early 70's, Ron's immediate recollection was about 1971. Please remember my call and questioning came while he was with family at a birtyhday party for him - no he could walk a straight line. In all seroiusness while the date evaded him when I asked, the memory of the happening was like yesterday. They were close friends as had many of you been.
But please don't hesitate to contact him for any further information. I've asked him to correct anything I have passed that may be inaccurate. Remember we are all suspeptible to, as Rachial Spinella Ditmar reminded me, "CRS." Yea, Can't Remember "Some" Things - Okay I'm keeping it publishable.
W/R
Lon
Lynn Moskowitz (DeLisi)
Guess I was wrong! But didn't someone in our class die in Vietnam?Raymond Enrico (Enrico)
I saw Richie Roughgardens name on the wall of those who died in thr vietnam war, he was killed in 1969.
He was a LT. I believe he died from a friendly fire episode that happened in his barracks, I was told it was an accident. Bob Beatie and I knew Richie very well. He was from Hawthorne NJ. But I don't know if he attended Hawthorne high school. I knew if after High School, we were in the Navy reserve together.
Does this ring a bell with anyone?
Ray Enrico
Robert Lucibello
Hi all, Lon Lawson is correct. I knew Jay and Mary Ann well. It was my understanding that at the time Jay could have survived the jolt he received except for the fact that it hit him between heart beats and stopped his heart. Such a tragedy, they had only been married a short time.
Elizabeth Opderbeck (Irvin)
In answer to the question about Richard Roughgarden, his story is written in the book "Small Town, Big Sacrifice". This is a newly published book about all the men and women from Hawthorne who died in wars, from WW 1 to the present day. His story, as well as that of my first husband, Dennis Simone, HHS class of 1960, are included in this book. Ironically, both Dennis and Richard were killed the same way, in Viet Nam, by an accidental discharge of another's rifle. Richard did not attend HHS, but graduated from St.Peter's Prep School in Jersey City. Our small town of Hawthorne is comitted to honoring the 76 service people who gave their lives for our freedom by naming the streets near each one's home after that individual. We had Dennis' ceremony last November, on Veteran's Day, and it was a truly moving experience.
Patricia Haskoor (Taylor)
Bob,
who is mary ann. I thought Jay married Deanna?
pat