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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS HERALD |
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JOHN PHAIR: AN ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS CITIZEN WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE The cigar was omnipresent, and part of his persona. It is impossible to characterize a man’s life work when you have only known him for a fraction of his time, but John Phair really didn’t change much in the time that I knew him. He was many things: a loving husband, a caring father, and one of the most dedicated public servants that Atlantic Highlands has ever seen. He rose early for his post at borough hall, arriving well before the morning rush hour on First Avenue. It was during those hours that John would spin the stories and impart his knowledge of the world on you. And his world wasn’t just Atlantic Highlands. He served our country in the war, he had a successful career in the insurance business, and he served several terms as a borough councilman. John Phair knew everything in our borough and not surprisingly, he had a story about almost everyone. He could tell you about Hudson Springs, or his days at Fireman’s Field. He knew the history, he lived with the characters, and he knew how to get things done. Sure, John was tough on spending taxpayers dollars, but that was his administrator’s role, to make sure that the borough ran smoothly and efficiently. Behind the cigar, was a man that cared. After some back and forth, most conversations with John ended with “what do you want me to do?” You knew that it would get done, because John Phair was always a man of his word. He leaves a wonderful family and a town that is far different from his childhood days. He made a difference. May one of Atlantic Highlands greatest citizen’s rest in peace.
John Phair at Mt. Mitchill
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