June is the month that contains Father’s Day, and the world has lost a really good one today with the passing of Gary D’Aries. His path took him from a football star in his home town of West Orange at Mountain High School, to an awesome husband , very successful businessman, philanthropist and father. His son Geoffrey is a beloved figure around Morris County and beyond for having attended over 200 consecutive Mendham football games and for missing just one Mendham basketball game over a span of 20-plus years. Geoffrey wasn’t the only one who put together that streak. Gary, very often joined by wife Jeanne and Geoff’s aide William, was with him all along the way, driving him in all sorts of weather, sitting by his side during good games and bad, and making the experience a fun one for all who enjoyed their company, including myself. Their travels didn’t end there… they made trips around the country, regularly went to other sporting events in New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, and even wound up in Levon Helm’s kitchen after one of his Midnight Rambles in the Catskills among many other brushes with celebrities. I could go on and on, but Gary D’Aries was simply a great man whose family was his number one priority. My heart goes out to his wife Jeanne, sons Geoffrey and Brian and his other family and friends. He’ll certainly be missed, but it’s also comforting to know that we’ll still be able to follow his extensive example of what an outstanding, caring person can be.