Gerald J. DeFelicis, former Haddon Twp. commissioner

Gerald J. DeFelicis, 86, of Haddon Township, a former commissioner there who retired in 1984 as a vice president of information systems at what is now Sunoco, died of complications from kidney failure Friday, Jan. 31, at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden.

In retirement, Mr. DeFelicis, known as "Jerry," was a director of the former Community National Bank in Haddon Township from its founding in 1987 until 1998, daughter Thea McGovern said.

He had been a director of First Colonial Community Bank in Collingswood since its founding in 2000.

Born in Camden, Mr. DeFelicis graduated from Camden High School in 1945, from the Gibson Institute of Accountancy in Philadelphia in 1951, and with an associate's degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1959.

After beginning his Sun career as a printing clerk in 1945, he took night classes for years at Gibson and Wharton while helping to raise his family, his daughter said.

In 1968, he completed a management development program at the Harvard Business School, she said.

At Sun, she said, "his expertise was organizational systems." For instance, "they would have him go in and reorganize a human resources department." Once it was "organized and running, he would go on to something else."

For Haddon Township, he was a commissioner from 1971 to 1991, a school board member from 1961 to 1971, and the board president from 1968 to 1971.

Mr. DeFelicis was president of the Haddon Township Library Board in the 1960s and an original trustee when it was established in that decade.

He was chairman of the Camden County Senior Citizens Housing Advisory Board. He was also a member of the finance committee at St. Vincent Pallotti Church in Haddon Township, and was among the first parishioners when it was founded, his daughter said.

Besides his daughter Thea, Mr. DeFelicis is survived by his wife of 63 years, Sonia; son Jay; daughter Trish LaBouff; and six grandchildren.

A viewing was set from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, and from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, both at St. Vincent Pallotti Church, 901 Hopkins Rd., Haddon Township, before a Funeral Mass there at 10 a.m., with burial in Calvary Cemetery, Cherry Hill.

Donations may be sent to the American Heart Association, 1617 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia 19103.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.healeyfuneralhomes.com.