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John Kalmus, who served as chief of the Quogue Village Police for 19 years in the 1980s and 1990s, died at his home in Quogue on Friday, September 7, after suffering a heart attack. He was 69.
Mr. Kalmus is remembered best for what his son, Keith Kalmus, called his “famous sense of humor.”
John Kalmus was born and raised in College Point, Queens, where he met his future wife, Eileen, and a large circle of close friends, many of whom he had known since grade school. The Kalmuses were married for 47 years, and their hometown remained a important part of their lives.
“He was the funniest man I ever met, and I miss him greatly,” Ms. Kalmus said of her husband, adding that he was always the life of the party.
His daughter, Jacqueline Gratz, described him as “a good guy that everybody had a soft spot for.” She said family members remembered Mr. Kalmus fondly for his great wealth of friends, which they said was a testament to his good nature. “You can’t even find the right words to describe how he cherished my Mom,” Ms. Gratz said.
Mr. Kalmus was an avid golfer, and taught both his daughter and son how to play baseball. “I played ball my whole life and he was my greatest coach,” Keith Kalmus said.
Mr. Kalmus worked for 16 years as a New York State parole officer based in Queens and his last assignment was serving as senior investigator for special operations. He then went on to serve as Quogue Village Police chief from 1982 until 2001.
“He loved it,” Ms. Kalmus said of her husband’s dedication to the police force. “He gave his heart and soul to it.”
Current Quogue Police Chief Robert Coughlan described Mr. Kalmus as a “very fair and professional police chief” who made significant improvements to the department under his watch. Chief Coughlan, who served under Mr. Kalmus, added that he expanded the department’s Marine Unit and Emergency Medical Technician program, and modernized the department by equipping officers with laptop computers. Chief Coughlan said Mr. Kalmus was at the helm when the Quogue Police Department became one of the first agencies to be equipped with an effective computerized system.
“He was so proud of serving the Village of Quogue,” Keith Kalmus said. “For me, what stands out the most is he was the most humble man I have ever met.”
In addition to his wife, Eileen, Mr. Kalmus is survived by his son, Keith Kalmus, his wife, Heidi, and their children, Connor, 11, and Caleigh, 10, all of Aquebogue; and his daughter, Jacqueline Gratz, and her sons Jack, 10, and Ryan, 8, all of Norwalk, Connecticut. He is also survived by his sister, Janet Pelosi, of Beaufort, South Carolina.
The family received friends on Monday, September 10, at the Follett and Werner Funeral Home in Westhampton Beach. A funeral Mass was celebrated on Tuesday, September 11, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Quiogue and interment followed at the Quogue Cemetery.
Carol Moran on Sep 10, 2012