John Deane, 71, marketing executive

John “Jack” Deane of Dover, Del., a former marketing executive who had lived in Ridgefield many years, died on Monday, Oct. 6, at his home. He was 71 years old and the husband of Janice Hurst Deane.
Mr. Deane was born Nov. 6, 1931, and grew up in Darien and New Canaan, graduating from New Canaan High School in 1950.
He attended St. Bonaventure University before transferring to Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., where he received a bachelor of arts degree in commercial art. At Bradley, he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and served as captain of the 1954 tennis team.
Upon graduation, he was commissioned ensign in the U.S. Navy and served as a Navy artist on the staff of Rear Admiral Dan Gallery, stationed in Glenview, Ill.
His business career included producing radio shows starring Arlene Francis, Betsy Palmer and Raymond Massey. He held creative marketing positions at Columbia Records, The Singer Company, Velcro USA and the R.H. Macy Company before retiring last spring.
In 1978, he was elected to the Who’s Who in Advertising and Sales Promotion.
The Deane family moved to Ridgefield in August 1963 to the house at the corner of High Ridge and Barry Avenue. He lived here for 29 years before moving in 1992 to Danbury, where he spent 11 more years before retiring to Dover.
Active in the Ridgefield community, he coached both Pop Warner football and Babe Ruth baseball. He served on the Board of Incorporators of the Ridgefield Boys and Girls Club, and was a founding member of the Ridgefield Booster Club and the Ridgefield Jaycees.
Mr. Deane was a sportscar enthusiast, and was a member of both the Sports Car Club of America and the Vintage Sports Car Club of America. He raced at Lime Rock and drove a 1952 Morgan.
Mr. Deane was active in the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America for more than 20 years and sang with the Danbury Mad Hatter Chorus and various quartets throughout his life.
He enjoyed sports, especially tennis, and had belonged to both the Lakeside Tennis Club in North Salem and the Ridgefield Tennis Club.
He was a member of St. Mary’s Church.
“All those who knew and loved him will dearly miss him,” his family said.
Besides his wife of 46 years, Mr. Deane is survived by seven children, Bryan Deane of New Milford, N.J., Timothy Deane and his wife Elizabeth of Orange, Darren Deane and his wife Kim of St. Charles, Mo., Christopher Deane and his wife Vicki of Geneva, Ill., Kevin Deane and his wife Jennifer of Branford, Tracie Mitchell and her husband John of Ashburnham, Mass., Meg Coffey and her husband Carl of Danbury; two sisters, Faith Sheehan of Portland, Maine, and Susan Kirchner of Shaker Heights, Ohio; 14 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
His parents, John V. and Loretta C. Deane, and a brother, Peter M. Deane, died before him.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Monday, Oct. 13, in St. Mary’s Church, Ridgefield. Burial will take place at the convenience of the family.
Memorial donations may be made to Dover Hospice, 911 South Dupont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.
The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.