The grand marshal of the United Irish of West Hudson’s 2017 St. Patrick’s Day parade is certainly well known throughout West Hudson. He’s a Kearny resident, spent more than a decade on Kearny’s Board of Education – and he’s been a Harrison educator and administrator for countless years.
Alan R. Doffont says his greatest assets are his wife, Maureen E. Heuberger, a former teacher, born and raised in Kearny and his daughters Pamela Lowry (married to Kevin) and Alison J. Doffont.
Both daughters are highly regarded teachers, who were scholar-athletes at Kearny High School.
Doffont’s mom, G. Regina Doffont, AKA Dolly, turned 91 in January and his late dad, Vincent, was a World War II Marine raider in the South Pacific.
Doffont’s family is quite large – he has numerous brothers and sisters, many of whom have their own children.
According to Doffont’s mother’s ancestry research with Seton Hall University, the Mormon Church, Ellis Island and Trinity College, Ireland, his Irish great-grandmother on his mother’s side came to Castle Gardens in New York City, alone, at 15, in 1876 after both of her parents died.
His great-grandfather on his mother’s side’s families came to the United States in the 1840s and 1850s. They had come from Counties Clare and Mayo. They were Kennedys and Sullivans.
Doffont taught at Harrison High School for 19 years and coached football, basketball and baseball – then coached Kearny Thistle girls’ soccer and Kearny Recreation soccer, basketball, baseball and softball. He was selected as “Who’s Who Among American Teachers and Administrators” by the students of Harrison High School while serving there.
Alan served as Vice Principal of Harrison High for eight years, then took over a failing Washington Middle School in Harrison and brought it to passing status, earning accolades from the State of New Jersey. This helped Harrison High School become a Blue Ribbon School District.
Lastly, Doffont served on the Kearny Board of Education for 12 years, mostly on the Education and Athletics committees.
