PORTLAND – John “Jack” Clancy passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Aug. 2, 2021.

Jack was a spirited, outgoing, friendly, feisty man with a gift for gab and a penchant for making friends everywhere. He never met a stranger. There was never a place he went where he didn’t find a friend or a friend of a friend. He knew everyone, and he remembered everyone.

He loved the beach, sports, especially basketball and all the New England teams — and lobster.

Jack grew up on Munjoy Hill in Portland with his sisters Joan, Barbara, and his beloved younger brother and dear friend, Frederick (Rick) Joseph Clancy, Jr. He was born on Sept. 11, 1933 to Margaret and Frederick Clancy. Jack graduated from Cheverus High School in 1953. He served in Korea at the end of the conflict and worked in the motor pool.

After Korea, he worked many jobs and then met Imelda (St. Jean) at a dance. They fell in love and were married in 1959. They continued to spend their lives dancing together, whether to Lawrence Welk on Sunday evenings or at the many places they joined together with their wide network of friends. They loved socializing and playing cards — Whist was their favorite. Jack was also a crafty cribbage and poker player.

Jack was the consummate hard working family man. In his early married life, in addition to working for Portland Copper and Brinks, he found as many odd jobs as he could to support his family. Eventually, a friend helped him get an internship at The Portland Press Herald, where he became a typesetter and worked for many years until his retirement in 1995.

Jack and his wife raised their family in South Portland and in 1992 when they were “empty nesters” found themselves with an opportunity to live in Kennebunk, just a short walk from Mothers beach, where they shared many happy times with family and forged many new friendships.

Jack was a passionate fan of sports, especially his New England teams, and most especially the Celtics. The hay days of the late 1950’s and 1960’s were his favorite, and he found his way to many of those games.

He loved talking sports, especially with his younger brother, Rick, until he passed. His son, Dan, filled Rick’s shoes with many hours of phone conversations recounting the latest Boston sports trials, tribulations, and successes.

As Jack’s health declined, he took comfort and pleasure in talking sports with friends and family, his grandson and especially with his two Danny boys: his son, Dan, and his son-in-law, Dan, who was also one of his most formidable cribbage opponents.

Jack had a knack for knowing people immediately. He was gifted in drawing people out with wit, humor, audacity, and charm. The name Jack Clancy elicited in everyone immediate smiles, then groans, and then smiles again. He was full of life and larger than life.

He was a long-term communicant of Holy Cross in South Portland. He was a long-time member of The Knights of Columbus and participated in many charitable organizations. He worked for the Boy’s Club of the Greater Portland area and was a long-time volunteer for Meals on Wheels in both the Portland and Kennebunk areas.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Scarborough for their warm, compassionate care, especially Tina and Heather who displayed such compassion in his final days to Dad as well as his family. We will be forever grateful for this. And thank you to Brittany for looking out for him and keeping him supplied with fruit.

Jack was predeceased by his brother Frederick “Rick” Clancy Jr., his sister Joan Fasulo, and his sister Barbara McCarthy.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Imelda (St. Jean) Clancy; daughter Deedee Jorgensen and her husband Mark Jorgensen of Arrowsic, son Daniel Clancy and wife Felicity Clancy of Falls Church, Va.; and daughter Karen Cribby and husband Daniel Cribby of Berthoud, Colo.; his grandchildren: Adam Morse and his spouse Hillary Kneeshaw of Toronto, Rachel Morse and her husband Brett Jensen of Arrowsic, Erin Clancy, and Megan Clancy both of Falls Church, Va.; as well as countless extended family and friends.

Visitation will take place from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, August 8, 2021, at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 9, at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress St. Portland.

Please visit http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign John’s online guest book.

In lieu of flowers,

please send donations to:

The Boys and Girls Club of The Greater Portland area or: St. Martha’s Food Pantry of Kennebunk

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