Allen Thomas McQuarrie, Jr. 
March 16, 1936 – January 23, 2021

Husband to Kathleen; brother to Rich McQuarrie and Tom (deceased); father to Doug, Kevin (deceased), Chris, and Megan with Carole McQuarrie, and their spouses and partner, Stephanie, Heather, and Kurt; grandfather to Jack (and spouse, Carolyn), David, Max, Elizabeth, Cassandra, Gigi and Wilhelmina. Great grandfather to Patrick.

Allen honed his fighting skills as a teenager in Perth Amboy, NJ, as part of the Meade Street Aces. As an adult he channeled that fighting spirit and became a lifelong teacher, organizer and advocate.

He began his studies at St. Francis College and graduated from Seton Hall with a major in psychology and minors in philosophy and French. He earned a master’s degree in education from Kean College. He served first as a science teacher to middle school students in Holmdel, NJ. He was a gifted teacher who thought teachers should be paid more and schools should have more resources.

Allen went on to a thirty-year career with the New Jersey Education Association, where he led with compassion.  He used his inherent creativity to conceive, develop and deliver a myriad of programs designed to help school staff members in their jobs and to inspire thousands of local associations leaders to be passionate advocates for their members. He was constantly astonished to be paid for doing the work that he loved.

A follower of St. Jude, the patron saint of lost causes and impossible situations, he went out of his way to support and advocate for those who needed help. Allen was a founding member of PRO-ACT, an addiction recovery organization dedicated to serving the needs of those in early recovery and to promoting public policies that support recovery and de-stigmatize substance addiction. In long-term recovery himself, he mentored prisoners, worked on behalf of veterans, and lobbied policy makers at all levels of government.

Allen had a strong love of family. He encouraged his children to follow their passions and delighted in the various paths they chose and their success. He was an extremely proud father, grandfather, great grandfather and uncle and reveled in sharing the accomplishments of his children, grandchildren, great-grandchild, nieces and nephews with family, friends and strangers alike; although no one he met remained a stranger for long.

He was a gifted storyteller, a stalwart Democrat, an aggressive driver, an enthusiastic eater, a voracious reader, a lover of history, and a delightful travel companion for his wife Kathy. His smile was as big as his heart, and his wit meant that laughter followed him.

We, his family and friends, feel blessed to have felt his warmth, known his caring, experienced his love. We take great pride in all of his accomplishments and the difference that he made in so many lives. Well done good and faithful servant! We will do our best to carry the mantle.

We celebrate Allen’s life and look forward to celebrating him together, with family and friends, when we can all safely gather. Donations may be made in Allen’s honor to the Elixir Fund elixirfund.org/donate or mail to Elixir Fund•PO Box 326•Princeton Junction, NJ 08550 and to PRO-ACT https://www.councilsepa.org/support/donate/ or mail to 4459 W. Swamp Road• Doylestown, PA 18902.