Richard DeKany Sr.
Not long after John Michalka opened his West Milford Pharmacy business on Union Valley Road in 1950, it appeared that West Milford’s population was growing fast enough to support a second drugstore.
The current ShopRite shopping center on Marshall Hill Road opened in 1957, and Richard DeKany Sr., opened his Pinecliff Pharmacy business there during the same year.
Both ShopRite and Pinecliff Pharmacy had locations in a small strip mall on Union Valley Road across from the Pinecliff Lake dam when the shopping center on Marshall Hill Road was built.
The stores they initially opened were conservative in size compared with the ones they moved to on Marshall Hill Road.
The property on Marshall Hill Road was a large gladiolus farm, where the Manetas family grew flowers commercially for the New York market.
When the family moved their business to South Jerseym where there was a longer season near the Philadelphia flower market, the property was sold to a developer who created the shopping center there today.
The third generation of the Manetas family continues to operate the business in South Jersey that was started in West Milford by their grandfather.
DeKany operated his pharmacy business in the shopping center at Marshall Hill Road from December 1957 to June 1994, when he retired.
After nearly four decades of providing service to his customers, he handed the door key to a new owner representing Thrift Drugs. Later, the business was sold to the Rite Aid pharmacy chain.
When Rite Aid closed 12 stores in 2023 as part of a bankruptcy process, the pharmacy at 3 Marshall Hill Road, originally established by DeKany, was one of those shuttered.
When DeKany retired, he and his wife, Carol, moved to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. In 2018, they moved to Bradenton, Fla., to live near their son and daughter-in-law.
He died Nov. 17, 2022, at age 88. He was a father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
DeKany was a longtime volunteer, and his humanitarian efforts continued after he settled on Hilton Head Island. In West Milford, he was an active member of Elks Lodge #2236, and he stayed active in the Elks and Lions Club in South Carolina.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1986 at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.
Throughout his lifetime, he used his skills and expertise to help those who needed his professional assistance.
He continued that work as a volunteer on Hilton Head Island with a group known as Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) for 13 years. During this period, he mentored many pharmacy students and developed long-lasting personal and professional relationships.
He was the driving force in setting up the group’s pharmacy. VIM’s mission is to understand and serve the health and wellness needs of medically underserved people and households on Hilton Head and Daufuskie islands.
DeKany liked having the opportunity to help others, and he was passionate about guiding those who shared enthusiasm for community service.
A licensed pharmacist was needed to replace what was known as the Doctor’s Closet, where sample medicines were stored for patients in need.
In 2002, using his South Carolina pharmaceutical license, DeKany established a VIM nondispensing pharmacy to service doctors who provided prescription drugs under his direction when a pharmacist intern’s program was established.
Through the arrangement, interns worked directly with VIM staff throughout a patient’s visit.
Growing from 5,000 patients in 2002 to 40,000 in 2014 annually, VIM’s family doubled in size as the demand for pharmacy services grew.
DeKany volunteered for 30 to 35 hours a week for 13 years. When he stepped away at age 83, he still planned to volunteer a few hours each week.
Hilton Head Mayor Drew Loughlin honored with a plaque for outstanding service in making the VIM clinic recognized among the three such medical clinics in the world.
“Richard was often the life of the party with his silver tongue and twinkle toes,” his wife said after his death. “He personified a life well-lived. He was an exceptional person. Of all of Richard’s experiences and accomplishments, he was most proud of his family.”
He had many interests, one of which was flying. He worked successfully and became qualified for a private pilot’s license to operate a plane.
Golf was his favorite sport. He enjoyed travel too. The Porsche 911 that he affectionately called “Baby” was his pride and joy.
DeKany loved life and lived it to the fullest. If any of his West Milford buddies are around, they might recall some “good old days” stories at Elks and Rotary meetings about him, his friendship and his volunteerism with them in West Milford.
Among those he left behind were his wife of 47 years, Carol DeKany; his children, Richard (Pam) DeKany Jr., Lori (Chris) Leal, Patricia DeKany, JoAnn DeKany, John (Virginia) Birdsall and Lynda Bundy; his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews; and his brother, Donald DeKany.
He was predeceased by his brother Louis DeKany, daughters Meg Smith and Kathy Birdsall, and granddaughter Dominique McComas.
In accord with his wishes, he was cremated. A family celebration of his life was held in his honor.
When DeKany was no longer in West Milford, he continued to tell those who were in touch with him that he loved and remembered the people he knew in the township and he had fond memories of his time there.