Obituary of John David Kegg

John David Kegg, formerly of the Bronx, NY, passed away on February 11, 2023, at home in Frenchtown, NJ. He was 81. John was born to John and Mary Kegg on February 10, 1942. The oldest of two children, he attended William Howard Taft HS where he excelled in gymnastics. After graduating in 1959 he attended Syracuse University where as a freshman he played trombone in the Syracuse University Marching Band. That year the Syracuse University Football team became the National Champions and John played his trombone at every game including the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas on January 1, 1960. He then went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry from the New York State College of Forestry a in 1963. John immediately was offered employment with the New Jersey Department as a Supervisor of Plant Pest Inspections. After nine years of employment the Department John began to take courses on a part-time basis from Rutgers University where he earned a Master of Science Degree from Cook College in 1973. He published numerous articles in professional Journals on the impact of the Gypsy Moth in New Jersey and the various methods of control. John was promoted to Chief, Bureau of Plant Pest and Disease Control in 1983. There he supervised the Nursery, Gypsy Moth, Plant Disease, and Honey Bee Inspection Programs in the Division of Plant Industry (New Jersey Department of Agriculture). John retired in 2002 from the Department. John was active in the community serving as a Choir Director for ten years at the Lower Valley Presbyterian Church of Califon and a past member of the Kingwood Township Environmental Commission. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, bowling and golf. John married Maryann (Tammaro) Kegg of Trenton in 1993. John took great pride in raising his three stepsons, Salvatore, Joseph and Nicholas Tammaro from her first marriage. John also had two daughters Karen and Susan Kegg from his first marriage which he supported both through college. John is survived by his loving, caring and devoted wife Maryann, his stepsons Salvatore Tammaro, Joseph & Chelsey Tammaro and Nicholas & Vanessa Tammaro of Hunterdon County, John's daughter and son-in-law Karen and Mark Fitzgerald of San Anselmo, CA, daughter Susan Eastman of Flagstaff, AZ, grandchildren, Leah, Juliette Jonathan, Caitlin, Ciara, Dillon, and Gabriel, John's sister Mary Van Ginneken and husband Henry, nephew David Van Ginneken and niece Danielle Graves and several nieces and nephews. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at 12:30pm at Knott's Colonial Funeral Home 2946 South Broad Street Hamilton, NJ 08610. Calling hours will be from 10:30am to 12:30pm at the funeral home. Interment will be in Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery 400 Woolsey St. Hamilton, NJ 08610. Condolences for the family can be left at www.knottscolonialfuneralhome.com.