Township Council Honors John Clyde With Posthumous Commendation

Mayor Phil Kramer reads the Township Council commendation for the late John Clyde, while Clyde’s son, Michael, looks on.

The Township Council on Feb. 12 honored one of their own who died in late January.

John Clyde, a former Councilman and Mayor, died Jan. 24 at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. A Council member for 16 years, Clyde served as Deputy Mayor in 2000 and Mayor in 2001.

Clyde was also active on the township’s Environmental Commission, Open Space Advisory Committee, Trails Advisory Committee, Library Board of Trustees and the Raritan and Millstone Rivers Flood Control Commission, according to a commendation presented to Clyde’s son, Michael, at the Feb. 12 meeting.

“John’s service was given with such devotion that he earned the respect, admiration and friendship of all the citizens of our community through his professional leadership and dedication,” the commendation reads.

Mayor Phil Kramer said he met Clyde in the council chamber, and pointed to the spot where the introduction took place.

“I don’t remember what we talked about, but what I remember is he treated me like the most important person in the world,” Kramer said. “That was John, every time, all the time, you were the most important person in the world to him.”

“He attacked all of his endeavors with the town, everything he tried to do with the town with fervor and with joy and the joy of being alive yet another day with all he had gone through,” he said. “I remember when (former) Mayor (Chris) Kelly and I were having a little bit of a row, he stepped into the middle and with about 10 words calmed it all down. He just was amazing that way, and I hope someday to learn how to do such things as well as he did.”

Clyde “truly was a wonderful man,” Councilman Will Galtieri (D-Ward 2) said. “Knowing him for many years growing up in town and seeing him around, and then as I got older and started doing more in town, he was definitely a voice of reason and a good person to refer to, and a calming voice, too.”

“He truly will be missed and he will hold a special place in a lot of our hearts,” Galtieri said.

“I am deeply saddened by the death of former Mayor Clyde,” Councilman Charles Onyejiaka (D-Ward 3) said. “When I met him I was running for my election. He worked very hard and contributed to my success.”

In November 2018, Clyde was given the Environmental Commission’s Environmental Stewardship Award. Following is the audio of his acceptance comments:

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