John James Skelly

Loudonville - John James Skelly, beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, October 16, 2014, at Our Lady of Mercy Life Center in Guilderland. Born on May 14, 1941, in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan, Ireland, he was the son of the late Rose Owens Skelly and Peter Skelly. John immigrated to the United States in 1959 with the goals of finding employment and making a better life for himself. He immediately realized that the path to success in this country was based on education and he attended night school at Theodore Roosevelt High School to complete a general course of study.He went on to give service to his new country as a Medical Specialist in the United States Army.He was overjoyed upon acceptance to New York State Police Academy in 1962, and after numerous citations and merits, he was promoted to Sergeant in 1967.When the opportunity presented itself for transfer away from the crowded city, he moved his young family to the Town of Schodack.It was shortly thereafter that he answered God's call to service in the Catholic Church.He studied diligently and became a Permanent Deacon in 1973.He ministered to the congregation of St. Mary's in Nassau and performed many Baptisms and Marriages throughout his years as a Deacon.He also ministered to the residents of Van Rensselaer Manor for over twenty years, bringing comfort to the sick and infirm.Always striving for continued education, he earned a Masters of Public Administration from State University of New York.Upon retirement from the New York State Police, John worked as the Director of Public Safety at Hudson Valley Community College for over ten years. Still eager to expand his ministry and bring comfort to others, he went back to school to become a registered nurse and earned his Nursing License in 1990. After fulfilling many of his professional goals, he decided to retire from secular work and concentrate on the thing that brought him the most joy: helping others. He took a job at Our Lady of Mercy Life Center as a Chaplin where he could minister to the sick full time.He continued to give freely of his time to many organizations and he volunteered tirelessly to help others.His passion for helping others had no bounds and living by this principle, he accepted a foster child, Jizziyah, into his life in 2005.John's love for Jizziyah grew, and in 2007, he and his wife, Ellen, adopted her into the family and loved her dearly. John was also an avid athlete and enjoyed competing in many sports.His favorite activities were running, tennis and racquetball.He also enjoyed riding his bicycle to work and for scenic tours of the area.John was an avid bagpiper and played in many bands.He would play atop the hills around his house in Schodack and the tunes would carry great distances to the delight of his neighbors. John's love of his native Ireland never faded and he returned home to visit his family there several times over the years. John was also a proud and devoted grandfather to his grandsons who brought much joy and laughter to his life. John is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ellen Browne Skelly of Claire Bridge in Niskayuna, his sons Séamas Ó Scalaidhe of Rockville, MD, and Peter Skelly (Diana) of Guilderland, his daughter Jizziyah Skelly of Guilderland, and his grandsons Ethan Skelly and Collin Skelly. He is also survived by his brothers Tom Skelly of Roanoke VA, Pat Skelly of Smithtown NY, and Peter Skelly of Ballyjamesduff, Ireland, his sister Celia Duffy of Staten Island NY, and several nieces and nephews. Even after he was afflicted with Alzheimer's disease, his kind and generous nature, along with his sense of humor and faith, remained.Special thanks to the men and women of Claire Bridge Niskayuna and Our Lady of Mercy Life Center who provided loving care for him during his illness. Calling hours will be from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, at the DeMarco-Stone Funeral Home, 5216 Western Ave.(just west of Carman Rd), Guilderland, NY 12084.Services will begin 9 a.m. Thursday, October 23, 2014 at the funeral home followed by a 10 a.m.Mass of Christian Burial at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 23 Crumitie Road, Loudonville. Burial, with military honors, will follow at St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands. Those wishing to remember John in a special way may send a contribution in his name to the Alzheimer's Association.