Edward J. McGuire Jr.

Edward J. McGuire Jr., a Montauk resident since 2002 with his wife of 20 years, Kathleen Smith, died on Monday at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. He was 67, and had been diagnosed with cancer only last month.

By 1969, when he was 20, Mr. McGuire had set his heart on becoming a police officer. After graduating from Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, he went to St. John’s University to study criminal law, but the Vietnam War intervened and he joined the Army, serving until 1973.

When he returned he went to work for Bell Atlantic, which became Verizon in 2000. He started as a technician and worked his way up to sales executive at the time of his death.

Mr. McGuire was born in Manhattan on Aug. 6, 1949, to Edward J. McGuire and the former Ann Galvin. The family lived in Queens.

Ms. Smith said he was “a man who made everyone laugh.” He loved his Irish heritage, and took great happiness in being named a judge once at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade down Fifth Avenue. An amateur photographer, he also enjoyed golfing at Montauk Downs, reading, surfcasting, and cooking, especially on the barbecue.