July 2019
For at least 10 years, John and Nancy Alguire, F82262, hosted a Fourth of July rally at their Mechanicville, New York, home for members of FMCA’s Bussin’ Buddies chapter. The Alguires bought the 3-acre property along the Hudson River because it is flat and spacious enough to accommodate about 20 RVs. To help make guests feel welcome, John installed 30-amp hookups for 13 coaches.
“That’s how much he loved having people come here,” Nancy said.
The group will gather there again this Fourth of July, but without John. The former FMCA national vice president, Northeast Area, died April 16, 2019. He was 74.
His wife said he was a generous, gregarious man with diverse interests that ranged from motorhome travel to circuses to fireworks to maintaining his exquisitely manicured lawn. For eight years, he presided over the Justice Court for the town of Halfmoon, New York, which earned him the nickname “Judge.”
The couple met when they were students at New York University at Plattsburgh. They married in 1968. Both became teachers, with John specializing in health education.
From 1969 to 1973, after school let out for the summer, they traveled with small tent circuses, taking photographs and, in John’s case, sometimes working as a roustabout, helping erect the big-top tent. At first, they rented a popup camper; later they lived out of a full-size Chevy van.
In 1973, they supervised and participated in the construction of their geodesic dome home in Clifton Park, New York, where they lived until moving to Mechanicville in 2001.
Travel, however, never lost its appeal. So, in 1986, the Alguires bought a used 27-foot motorhome. It came with a membership to FMCA, which they knew nothing about. Curious about the organization, they decided to attend a rally hosted by a nearby chapter. But as soon as they arrived, everyone seemed to be upset with them.
Unbeknownst to the Alguires, the FMCA “life member” emblem on their motorhome belonged to the previous owner, a beloved — and recently deceased — chapter member. The misunderstanding was cleared up — the Alguires learned from friendly attendees that they should attach their own membership plate — “and we had a wonderful time,” Nancy said.
So began the Alguires’ long association with FMCA. Over the years, the couple bought bigger motorhomes, and they joined several chapters, including Bussin’ Buddies, Foretravel International, Foothills Snowbirds, and Empire. John was president of the latter.
John served as national vice president, Northeast Area, from 1991 to 1993. He didn’t run for re-election because of impending knee-replacement surgeries, which would limit his ability to travel.
John served on the Youth Committee (1993-1994), which he chaired in 1993. Jim Ballentine, who was FMCA national senior vice president at the time, credited John with reinvigorating a mostly dormant youth program. “He got it pretty well started again,” Mr. Ballentine said. John also served on the Membership/Member Services Committee (1991-1993).
During John’s term as national vice president, “he really wanted to travel to every (Northeast) chapter, and, boy, we ran our buns off,” Nancy said.
As a result, the Alguires made many friends. “He loved being with other travelers, meeting other people, and talking to people about their lives,” Nancy said.
John also loved fireworks. If a locale featured a good fireworks display, it was reason enough for the Alguires to make it a travel destination.
It’s one reason he looked forward to hosting the Bussin’ Buddies each Fourth of July. He would lead members onto his pontoon boat, take them down the Hudson to Waterford, New York, and watch the fireworks from the river.
This year, Nancy said, she will take their friends to the fireworks, “and we’ll have a ball.” She also plans to attend other rallies, and when people are gathered around the nightly campfire, she’ll ask them to share memories of John.
Memorial donations can be made to Circus World Museum, www.circusworldbaraboo.org/donate. Or to Circus Fans Association of America, in care of treasurer Cheryl Deptula, 3660 Morningside Way #105, Lorain, OH, 44053.