Brian McGlinchey, 43; led Bellmawr youth sports

Bellmawr Councilman Steve Hagerty knew Brian P. McGlinchey for 35 years, ever since they played street hockey for a youth organization.

Sports was what bound them in friendship.

"For the last 20 years," Hagerty said, "we've been running the Bellmawr Purple Eagles," four football teams for youths from 5 to 14 years old.

All those years, Hagerty was the Eagles' president, and Mr. McGlinchey, for most of the time, was general manager.

While doing that, at times he was also coach and head coach.

In all those volunteer jobs, Hagerty said, Mr. McGlinchey was "committed, very committed."

On Monday, Jan. 11, Mr. McGlinchey, 43, of Bellmawr, died of heart problems at Kennedy University Hospital in Stratford.

He was a fleet manager for Automotive Resources International (ARI) in Mount Laurel, Hagerty said.

A 1990 graduate of Paul VI High School, Mr. McGlinchey earned a bachelor's degree at the Rutgers-Camden School of Business in 1996, his wife, Katie, said.

Before joining ARI, she said, he worked for Copelco Capital Funding Corp. in Mount Laurel.

Though he did not play school sports, his lifelong interest was in youth sports.

And, Hagerty said, "at 6- feet-7, big shoes to fill is an understatement."

Mr. McGlinchey "did anything for you; he would be there when you needed him," Hagerty said. "He made sure that the job was well done; very passionate."

And he was Bellmawr's representative to the South Jersey United Football League, a group of private teams like the Eagles, run by Bellmawr Purple Eagles and Cheerleading.

For the last 27 years, Mr. McGlinchey's wife has been a cheerleading coach, the last 15 for the Purple Eagles.

So the team was, she said, "a second family."

And when the football season was over, Mr. McGlinchey was a basketball referee.

"He started refereeing grammar school games about 10 years ago," she said, and for high schools across South Jersey, "he was doing some varsity games."

He was a member of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials.

Besides his wife, Mr. McGlinchey is survived by parents Frank and Roseann, and sons Jake and Cole.

Viewings were set from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, and 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, both at the Gardner Funeral Home, 126 S. Black Horse Pike, Runnemede, before a 10:30 a.m. Funeral Mass at Mary, Mother of the Church, Parish, 20 Braisington Ave., Bellmawr, with interment at New St. Mary's Cemetery there.

Donations may be sent to Bellmawr Purple Eagles, Box 175, Bellmawr, N.J. 08099.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.gardnerfuneralhome.com.

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