John James Lombard Jr., Esq. of Upper Gwynedd, PA and Ocean City, NJ, formerly of Blue Bell, PA, passed away surrounded by the love of his family on Wednesday, November 4.
Born on December 27, 1934 to parents John J. and Mary Lombard (nee O’Donnell), he attended St. Benedict’s School in Philadelphia and La Salle College High School (1952). He received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from La Salle University where he was president of the student body (1955-1956). In 1959, Mr. Lombard earned his JD from The University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Mr. Lombard began his career at Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell & Hippel LLP in 1959, where he became a partner in 1965 and where he remained until 1984. Subsequently, he joined Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP as a partner. During his 15 years at Morgan Lewis, he served initially as the manager of the Personal Law Section and later as Vice Chair and Chair of the Personal Law Section. He retired from Morgan Lewis in 2000 when he joined McCarter & English LLP, in Philadelphia, as special counsel from 2000 to 2017.
Mr. Lombard served as legal counsel to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for over 25 years. He spent 60 years as a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association. He also served as a member of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, the American Bar Association and Foundation, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He was a member of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law starting in 1972. Mr. Lombard was nominated Chairman of the Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section of the American Bar Association (1990-1991). He was also President of the Foundation of the American College of Probate & Trust Law for three years. Mr. Lombard earned many accolades for his work, including the Treat Award from the National College of Probate Judges.
Mr. Lombard co-authored “Durable Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives” in 1984 and 1994, published nationally. Throughout his career, he contributed his knowledge to a number of written works, and also served as editor of “Probate Notes” for the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel from 1982 to 1985.
Mr. Lombard was a member of the Union League of Philadelphia for close to 50 years. From 1992 to 2010, Mr. Lombard was the director and chair of the Advisory Committee of the Joint State Government Commission. He also served the Whitpain Township Planning Commission from 1972 to 1980 and the Redevelopment Authority of Montgomery County, PA from 1980 to 1987. He served on the board of Gwynedd Mercy University from 1980 to 1989 and also served as secretary and director for the Airline Hydraulics Corporation from 1969 to 2000.
In 2017, La Salle College High School presented him with the William J. Whelan Alumni Service Award in recognition of his dedicated service to La Salle, including two terms on the Board of Trustees. Mr. Lombard also served on the La Salle Leadership Council as Class Communicator for 1952.
His love of art spanned his entire life, from his days at La Salle through his legal career and beyond. Mr. Lombard loved to read and to paint, especially colorful landscapes of his beloved Ireland. He was a world traveler, and made sure to always send postcards to family and friends. He also shared his artistic talents teaching others how to draw and paint. Everyone knew his favorite gift to give to friends and family was a personalized painting or a book with a thoughtful letter written on the inside cover. Many loved ones are lucky to have his personal artworks displayed in their homes including John & Patty’s Restaurant on 6th and Asbury.
Mr. Lombard was known by his family and friends as the “Lynchpin of the Lombards.” He was instrumental in organizing several reunions in Ireland. Mr. Lombard was a dedicated family historian and maintained close ties with family across the pond. He was incredibly proud of his family heritage and encouraged an interest in genealogy among family members.
Mr. Lombard made many memories over 60 summers spent in Ocean City, NJ. In his young adult life he was an Ocean City Police Officer and later he and his family spent many days on 37th Street beach and in The Gardens. He was a proud patron of local businesses and organizations, such as Mallon’s Bakery, owned by his niece, as well as the Ocean City Yacht Club. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed many fishing excursions with his friends and family. Mr. Lombard enjoyed working in his garden both in Blue Bell, PA and Ocean City, NJ. He had a great affinity for his lillies that grace the fence at his home in The Gardens. He was incredibly proud and supportive of all of his children and grandchildren, including his grandson Billy Lombard Jr., an Ocean City firefighter and his granddaughter Elizabeth Lombard, a local realtor with BHHS Fox and Roach.
He was the husband to the late Barbara Mallon Lombard and the late Jeanne Smith Lombard. He is survived by his twins John James Lombard III (April) and William Mallon Lombard, son James Garrett Lombard (Kelly), daughters Laura Lombard Marino and Barbara Lombard Diebold (Gene); and stepdaughters Kathleen Leahey (Alan), and Stephanie Coffin (Dean); brother to the late Rosemary McNutt, Jerome Lombard and Ellen Kelly. He was a devoted grandfather to 18 grandchildren (Billy Jr. and Elizabeth Lombard, Alexander, Sebastian, and Christian Marino, Matthew Lombard, Sean McClellan, Emma, Grace, and Thomas Diebold, Alexandra McMahon, Gabrielle and Tyler Millett, Kelly Schoepke, Colleen McKeegan, Jennifer Romey, Robert and Maddie Coffin) and 4 great grandchildren, Mason, Connor, Patrick and Bridget.
His Mass of Christian Burial was held on November 13th at St. Francis Cabrini Church. The family would like to thank the wonderful nurses and staff of The Shores at Wesley Manor for their support and care of Mr. Lombard, as well as Dr. Edward V. Viner, M.D., Dr. Gary W. Raab, D.O., and the Intensive Care and Neurosurgical team at Atlantic City Medical Center.
For those desiring memorial contributions in Jack’s name to The Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Phila., PA 19130, Cranaleith Spiritual Center, 13475 Proctor Rd., Phila., PA 19116 https://cranaleith.org/donate/ or La Salle College High School 8605 W Cheltenham Ave, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 https://www.lschs.org/support/give-now
For condolences to the family, visit www.godfreyfuneralhome.com.
