Jack Sherger

Jack Sherger, age 76, of Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, passed away on Sunday, February 18, 2024 with his loving companion by his side.

Jack was born in New York City in 1947. The oldest of John and Wilhelmina (Daube) Sherger’s two sons, his family moved to 42 Maple Lane in the Riverview Community in Wayne in 1953. Jack attended Wayne High School (known today as Wayne Valley High School), and graduated with the class of 1965.

Jack was popular in school and a skilled athlete. He excelled in football as an offensive and defensive end, and in baseball as a first baseman. After graduation, Jack headed north to Colby College in Waterville Maine, where he majored in business and, as his brother Bob would say, poker! Sports continued to be a big part of Jack’s life. He played football and golf at Colby, winning a collegiate golf tournament in Maine while he was there.  

After college graduation in 1970, Jack pursued a career in sales in the emerging field of business machines and computers. He started with Monroe Business Calculator and then moved on to a company called Basic Four where he sold computers. He was the number one salesman year after year, but Jack decided he’d rather go fishing a few days a week than attend sales meetings every Monday. Jack moved on to his next pursuit, which, as destiny would have it, would be car rentals.

While working as a salesman, Jack frequently had to rent cars and he always found it to be a highly frustrating experience. Prompted by this ironic disdain for car rental agencies, Jack decided to start a company that made the process easier for customers. The doors to Courier Car Rental opened at Essex County Airport in 1982 with six used cars in the fleet. At one point in those early days, a customer called for a rental car but all the vehicles were already out on rent, and, rather than turn a customer away, Jack rented out his mother Willie’s car while she was away on a week’s vacation. When the customer kept the car for a month, Willie was not pleased, but it became one of her favorite stories to share.

With his focus on customer service, it is no wonder that Jack’s business grew. When Jack started advertising and renting in New York City, the business took off. C.C. Rental quickly became one of the main suppliers of cars, vans, and trucks to the New York production industry. At various times, C.C has had three locations in New Jersey, three in New York City, one in Atlanta, wintertime operations in Florida, and a fleet surpassing 700 vehicles.

With the success of his business and with no boss to answer to, Jack finally had time for his true loves – fishing and golfing. These passions became his primary pursuits and he showed up at the office just a few days per week in between, but he always helped manage the business from a cell phone in the middle of a lake or on a river.

While Jack was perfectly happy in a C.C cargo van with a kayak and a fishing pole in the back, he had an affinity for sports cars and he liked to drive fast, especially in his younger years. This hobby led to plenty of speeding tickets over the years. One of the many times he was pulled over, he handed the police officer his brother’s Bob’s license.

In his 40’s, Jack met the woman who would become the love of his life, Jocelia Cintra. Despite being picked up for their first date in a cargo van, Celia had a great time with Jack and they went on to share many wonderful years together. They enjoyed countless Broadway shows and concerts; trips to Germany, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and beyond; and of course, lots and lots of golfing and fishing. With Jack as a guide, Celia became an excellent golfer and fisherwoman. On one memorable excursion, Jack looked on proudly as Celia caught a giant tarpon bigger than she was!

Jack and Celia lived in Hamburg, New Jersey in the summers and would spend their winters as snowbirds at their beloved Indian Harbour Beach condo. In Florida, Jack played golf every morning and fished for bass every afternoon.  Summer weekends were spent at their lake house in Lakewood, Pennsylvania.  Jack fished all over the world for all kinds of fish: largemouth bass from his boat in the lakes of Florida, stripers in Montauk, bonefish in Belize and the Bahamas, salmon in Chile and Argentina, and his favorite fish: rainbow trout in the rivers and creeks of New York and Pennsylvania. Jack loved to teach others how to fish and would cheer people on gleefully as he caught ten fish to their one.

Jack was also a food lover. As a young man, he spent time at his grandfather’s famous restaurant, Paul Daube’s Steakhouse, also known as The Dutchman’s, which was frequented by famous ball players and celebrities. But Jack was just as enthused about getting fried gizzards at the gas station on the way to the lake as he was about dining in high-end restaurants in Manhattan. His favorite restaurants included Dixie Crossroads and Marsh Landing in Florida, and Peter Luger Steak House and Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse in New York. He was also known to whip up some Sherger family favorites, including his mother’s famous peach kuchen.

Jack was beloved by family, friends, and employees. He had a happy heart and a free spirit. He embraced and enjoyed life and always had a funny story to tell about a place he had been or a meal he had enjoyed. Jack was also an extremely generous man. Whether it was looking out for his employees or taking the time to teach anyone interested how to golf or fish, Jack was glad to share his wealth and knowledge.      

Jack was the cherished companion of Jocelia Cintra; dear brother of Robert Sherger and his late wife Kathleen (Reed) Sherger (2021) of Riverdale; loving uncle of Erika Sherger of Boonton Township, Sara Varney and husband Jason of Conshohocken, PA, and Reed Sherger of Lake Parsippany; and adored great-uncle of Wynn and River Varney. He is also survived by several cousins.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Jack’s name are asked to consider The National Fish & Wildlife Foundation or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.