Edward F. McGuire Jr., Formerly of East Hampton, Dies December 5

Edward F. McGuire Jr., originally from East Hampton, died peacefully on December 5 in Melbourne Florida. He was 92.

He had been living at The Blake assisted living facility since his declining health in May of this year.

H was predeceased in 2015 by his wife of 59 years, Betty McGuire.

“I want to be remembered as a good family man and a hard worker,” he recently told his daughter. Those expectations were clearly met by all who had the opportunity to call him family or friend. “Frank” or “Franco” to local friends, was born in Southampton Hospital on September 20, 1933, to Edward Francis McGuire Sr. and Nora Durkan, who immigrated to the United States from County Mayo Ireland.

He loved sports and played for the East Hampton Bonackers in football, basketball and baseball before leaving high school early to enlist in the U.S. Navy in the summer of 1951. While serving in the Korean War aboard the USS Missouri, which at the time was the biggest battleship in the Navy’s fleet, he was awarded the National Defense Medal, China Service Medal, Korean Service 2 Star Medal as well as the United Nations Service Medal.

He married Elizabeth “Betty” (Olejnik) McGuire in 1956, and they raised four children on Cove Hollow Road in East Hampton. Volunteerism was a big part of his community involvement. A volunteer firefighter, Little League baseball coach, he was responsible for getting lights for the ballfield on Abraham’s Path. He called in all his favors from friends and colleagues at Long Island Lighting Company, where he was employed, because the town had no money to spare for the improvement.

The couple retired to Melbourne, Florida, in 1994 after he spent over 30 years working for LILCO as a dispatcher. A life well lived, the couple spent their retirement years traveling, while “working in” visits with their family for weddings and births of their grandchildren. His last trip in 2017 was traveling to his mother’s homestead in Tourmakeady, County Mayo, Ireland, with his sister and 70 other extended family members for a wedding.

In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by his brother, James McGuire; sister Kathryn (McGuire) McGuirk; and grandson Matthew McGuire.

He is survived by his children, Frank McGuire III of Melbourne; Nora J. Grenier of Eden, Vermont, and Port Charlotte, Florida, Elizabeth McGuire of Pocasset, Massachusetts, and Cynthia McGuire of Loxahatchee, Florida; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; as well as his very special friend, Evelyn Sajkiewicz, who gave him great companionship and care for the past eight years.

A celebration of life will be held in his hometown of East Hampton this coming spring.

The family has suggested that memorial contributions be made to a local hospice. The family offers special gratitude and thanks to Mederi Hospice of Brevard, especially staff member Christina Frank’s exceptional nursing, and the staff at The Blake at Viera.