John Elter

John Elter, of Lake Worth, Florida and a 47-year resident of Chester, NY, died unexpectedly at his home in Lake Worth. He was 78 years old. John is survived by the love of his life, Patricia Elter (nee Frey). They were married for over 54 years. He is also survived by their three children, John and his wife Kathy, Stephen and his wife Susan and Lynn Anne Smith and her husband Robert. His four grandchildren, of whom he was most proud, also survive him. They are Stephanie, Christopher, Tyler and Emily. His sister, Joan Smith, also survives him along with his sister-in-law, Eileen Frey, as well as several cherished nieces and nephews. John was also predeceased by his brothers-in-law James Smith and Jack Frey. John was born on April 11, 1942 in the Inwood section of Manhattan to the late John and Lulu (nee Peters) Elter. In 1962, John enlisted into the United States Army Reserves where he was stationed at Fort Dix in New Jersey. He was honorably discharged in 1965. Upon leaving the Army, John joined the New York City Police Department. He proudly served the NYPD for 21 years. He spent most of his career with the NYPD's elite Emergency Services Unit. He retired from the NYPD in September 1986. After "retiring," John fulfilled a lifelong dream of opening a bar in his hometown of Chester, NY. He was the proprietor of The Amber Lantern, which later became known as Henry J.'s, for over 23 years before officially retiring to Florida in 2009. In his spare time, he loved to watch his beloved New York Yankees baseball games. John was also a big supporter of the New York Giants football team. He loved to play golf and bowl (he was a scratch bowler). He loved going to Cancun Mexico with his family and friends. He would always say to those who had never been to Cancun before, "So, what do you think of my Cancun?" He and his wife made that trip for over 25 consecutive years. John was active in his community as well. He was a Chester Little League coach/manager, a member of the Chester Kiwanis Club, a member of the Greenwood Lake Elks club and the West Palm Beach Elks club. He was also a member of The Restaurant and Tavern Owners Association, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the Orange County Shields. A celebration of John's life is planned but the details have not been finalized due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Burial will be at the convenience of his family. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Thomas F. Flynn and Brendan T. Flynn and the staff of Flynn Funeral & Cremation Memorial Centers, Inc. Crematory Service Time: TBD to TBD

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