JOHN J. DUNNE
John J. Dunne, a third-generation
Madisonian, was born in Madison, New
Jersey in 1930, attended Madison schools and has been a lifelong resident of the
community. His care and concern for the community’s quality of life and his love of
those who served our nation are reflected in this brief biography.
After serving with the U.S. Armed Forces in the Korean conflict, Jack
turned to law enforcement on both the local and County levels. He was appointed to the
Madison Police Department in 1954, and in 1965, he became Deputy Chief of Detectives for
the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. Upon retirement from law enforcement in 1983,
he established Dunne’s Hardware Store in Madison, which he managed with his wife
Roberta and his son Jack for 13 years. As he neared retirement from business, his interest
in community activities became paramount and in 1990 he spearheaded Madison’s first
Drug and Alcohol Awareness Day. He was nominated for a seat on Madison’s Governing
Body, and was elected to the Madison Borough Council in 1992, re-elected in 1996, served
as President of the Madison Borough Council, and became Mayor of Madison on January 1,
2000.
In 1997, he conceived, organized and implemented the publication Always
With Us to memorialize and document the lives of 51 Madison boys who were killed in
action during service to our country between 1941 and 1975 (World War II, Korean and
Vietnam Wars). Published in 1998, the book, Always With Us, was authored by Jack
who was very ably assisted by the Madison War Memorial Book Committee Members, namely,
Roberta M. Dunne, his wife; Maria Fenton, Local Historian; Mary-Anna Holden, Madison
Council Member; and Barbara Moran, of the Borough Clerk’s Office.
Over the years, Jack has instituted many programs and events to honor
Veterans of the U. S. Armed Services. In 1993 Madison was invited by the U. S. Department
of Defense to participate in the nation’s World War II Commemorative Community
Program. Jack immediately responded to the mission. Through his planning and organizing as
Chairman of the Commemorative Committee, he initiated many Veteran events that led to
Madison receiving the World War II Commemorative Community Flag in 1994. To qualify for
the final designation, the Borough was required to plan three annual events, to be
accomplished by Veteran’s Day 1995. These requirements were readily met. Among the
events were the Commemorative World War II parades held on Memorial Day, special services,
and dedications, displays, and passing of a Council resolution honoring the World War II
Veterans. In addition, at the concluding ceremony on Veteran’s Day 1995,
Madison’s James Park was rededicated in memory of Madison’s Veterans from World
War II, Korea and Vietnam Wars, symbolically memorialized at the Park’s newly formed
Veterans Memorial Walkway with individual plaques and trees dedicated to each of the war
dead. In 1997, Jack arranged funding through private and corporate contributions, and
successfully managed the restoration and refurbishing of the World War I Monument at James
Park.
Jack’s efforts and accomplishments have heightened the community
of Madison’s awareness for respect and appreciation of the U.S. Veteran and has
provided generations to come with personal reflections and brief biographies of young
lives taken too soon by war, in the call of duty.
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