1936 - 2021
OBITUARY
John “Jack” Driscoll passed away at the age of 85 on the morning of September 16, 2021.
He leaves behind his wife of 56 years, Barbara; his three children, Suzanne (Andy), John, and Trish; five grandchildren Tim, Ali, Emily, Nina and Teo; and innumerable friends, colleagues, and students.
Jack was born to parents Mary Ellen and Dennis Driscoll in New York, NY. He is predeceased by his sister Peggy. He grew up in Far Rockaway, playing pick-up basketball with neighborhood kids and riding his bike to the library, where he was certain he checked out books that Richard Feynman had also borrowed as a boy. Jack went on to study math at St. John’s University and was a Woodrow Wilson fellow at the University of Chicago.
Jack was a loving and devoted husband and father, a sharp wit, an inveterate storyteller and an avid reader.
Jack taught math for more than 40 years at Marymount Manhattan College, where he was beloved by students and colleagues alike. In his early days, he would help the registrar compute GPAs using a slide rule. In the years since, he shared his love of math with his children and grandchildren, the neighborhood kids, and thousands of his students. Whether at work or home, he always made math fun. To his delight, his daughters and grandchildren can easily estimate the number of ping pong balls that would fit in a school bus. And largely due to his influence, they would all be sure to ask whether or not the ping pong balls were crushed.
He will be missed terribly.
Requiem aeternam dona ei Domine et lux perpetual luceat ei.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
Donations can be made in Jack’s memory to the Mathematical Association of America (https://www.maa.org/donate) or Camp Anchor in Lido Beach, NY (https://apfannex.square.site/shop/anchor-donations/).
VISITATION
Friday, September 17
4:00 - 8:00 PM
New Hyde Park Funeral Home
506 Lakeville Road, New Hyde Park, NY
MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL
Saturday, September 18
10:45 AM
Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church
500 Jericho Turnpike, New Hyde Park, NY
INTERMENT
Queen of Peace Cemetery
16 Powells Lane, Old Westbury, NY