John McCaughan

John F. “Jack” McCaughan, the former Chairman & CEO of Betz Labs and a pillar of the Bucks County community, passed away on September 9, 2025 at the age of 90.

Jack is survived by his three children and their spouses: John and Darcy McCaughan, Michael McCaughan and Katherine “Holly” Mead and Karen and Jessica McHegg and by his seven grandchildren: Cayla, Carol, Gabe, Maggie, William, Leo and Neko.

Jack was born in 1935, the son of Archibald and Jean McCaughan, who had emigrated from Northern Ireland to Montreal in 1929. He grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Verdun, and received a Bachelor’s of Commerce degree from Sir George Williams College (now Concordia) in 1957. His first job after graduating was as keypunch card operator on a 1950s era computer. Later in life, Jack proclaimed that he had vowed never to use a computer again after that early experience—a promise that he kept until he began to use a smartphone late in life.

Jack joined Betz Inc., the Canadian subsidiary of Betz Labs, in 1960, and advanced to president. In 1975, he was appointed Executive Vice President of the parent corporation based in Trevose, PA and relocated his family to Doylestown, PA, where he has resided ever since. He was named President and COO of Betz Labs in 1980 and then Chairman and CEO in 1982. Jack remained the CEO until 1993 and continued as chairman for five more years. He also served on the boards of Penn Mutual Life Insurance and Philadelphia Suburban. He retired in 1998 when Betz was sold to Hercules.

Jack was a committed philanthropist. As a young man in Montreal, he began a lifelong affiliation with the YMCA and later served on the board of the YMCA of Philadelphia and Vicinity, including three years as chairman. He also served on the board of the Bucks County Historical Society, the Ann Silverman Community Health Clinic, Doylestown Hospital, the Bucks County United Way, and the Bucks County Theater. Jack co-founded Bucks Beautiful and also served as a trustee of Drexel University.

Above all else, Jack was devoted to his family, volunteering as a coach for his kids’ little league games and seldom missing an event despite the demands of his career (and the often indifferent performance of his children). He enjoyed his grandchildren tremendously, and organized his schedule around them in retirement. In recent years, he was a dedicated caregiver to Carol, his beloved wife who passed in 2023.

Memorial service will be held at noon on Sunday, September 14, 2025, Reed & Steinbach Funeral Home, 2335 Lower State Road, Doylestown, where relatives and friends will be received from 11:00 AM until the time of the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Jack’s honor be made to Bucks Beautiful (via their website, bucksbeautiful.org) or to the Ann Silverman Community Health Clinic (595 West State Street, Doylestown, PA 18901