John Kalmus, Former Quogue Police Chief, Dies At 69 - 27 East

John Kalmus, Former Quogue Police Chief, Dies At 69

icon 1 Photo

authorCarol Moran on Sep 10, 2012

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.

You May Also Like:

The Current State of Print Media | 27Speaks

 27Speaks · The State of Print Media At the recent New York Press Association ... 3 Apr 2025 by Editorial Board

Institutions React to Federal Cuts to Institute of Museum and Library Services

Kelly Harris has never met someone who doesn’t love, or at least appreciate, their local ... by Michelle Trauring

Southampton Police Reports for the Week of April 3

HAMPTON BAYS — A Hampton Bays man was arrested by Southampton Town Police on April 1 in connection with a March 9 theft of a boat trailer from an East Quogue property. Anthony Colonna, 29, was charged with grand larceny, a felony, and conspiracy to commit a crime, a misdemeanor, for his role in the theft of the trailer, which was valued at $8,000. Police had previously arrested a Medford man, Christian Klemm, 29, in connection with the crime, who was charged with two felonies for possession of stolen property and grand larceny. 2 Apr 2025 by Staff Writer

Southampton DWI Arrests for the Week of April 3

Enrique F. Diaz Chocho, 36, of Flanders was arrested just after 6 p.m. on March 29 and charged with DWI after Southampton Town Police officers responded to a report of a two-car accident on Flanders Road near Red Creek Road and found Chocho had been driving one of the vehicles in an intoxicated condition. Nicholas Davis, 18, of Hampton Bays was arrested just after midnight on March 29 and charged with DWI after he was involved in a one-car crash on Oaktree Lane in East Quogue and was determined by a responding Southampton Town Police officer to have been drinking ... by Staff Writer

The Mountain

Southampton Town officials, it must be said, are very much on point when it comes to affordable housing. It’s not just lip service: The town is doing its level best to begin to address the ongoing crisis that is making it harder for the town’s workforce to stay here, and more difficult for the town’s business community to fill positions. It became problematic a few years ago, but today it’s probably the biggest issue Town Hall faces. And it appears that all hands are on deck. The town’s voters also have done their part, approving a new Community Housing Fund ... by Editorial Board

Final Hurdle Cleared for Algae Harvesters at Lake Agawam

The final hurdle standing in the way of green-lighting an algae harvester project at Lake ... by Cailin Riley

Eastport Tobacco Shop Closed After Illicit Cannabis Raid; Employee Arrested

Suffolk County Police arrested the employee of an Eastport tobacco shop last week for illegally ... by Staff Writer

April Express Sessions Will Focus on Pros and Cons of Historic District Expansion in Southampton Village

The delicate push and pull between preservation and property rights is familiar to many East End homeowners, as well as local government officials, and it’s an issue that’s been a particular flashpoint in Southampton Village recently. An analysis of a proposed historic district expansion in Southampton Village will be the topic of discussion for the next Express Sessions panel discussion, set for Thursday, April 10, from noon until 2 p.m. at Union Burger Bar at 40 Bowden Square in Southampton Village. The village received a $40,000 Certified Local Government Historic Preservation Grant from the state last fall to study the ... by Cailin Riley

Hampton Bays Cannabis Shop Roils Residents Right out of Gate

With objections to a proposal to open a pot shop in a former bank building ... by Michael Wright

Proposed Westhampton Beach Village Budget Would Increase Taxes by 9 Percent, Piercing State Tax Cap

The Westhampton Beach Village Board is poised to adopt a $14.4 million fiscal year 2025-26 ... by Bill Sutton