Howard John Maybin

Howard John Maybin, 71, died peacefully with family by his side, on April 8, 2025.

Born in Jersey City to the late Howard “Buddy” and Bridget “Biddy” Maybin (nee Kelly), he grew up in Middlesex and then North Plainfield, where he attended North Plainfield High School. While in high school, he worked at a local piano shop where he learned guitar by ear from local musicians. This began his love of guitars. His first one was a cherry red Gibson with pearl inlays.

At age 18, he began a lifelong career as a conductor with the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ), which became Conrail and then NJ Transit. He worked as a conductor for 44 years, most recently on the Raritan Valley Line.

Howard had a saying, “Found on Train,” for a collection of items passengers left behind that were not claimed. He affectionately transferred this name to the F.O.T. passenger friends he made over the years. Howard’s personality always drew him to make a friend and bring a smile on every journey. He often took his daughters on rides with him when they needed a babysitter. His love of the railroad was shown in an extensive collection of railroad memorabilia, books, scale train models, and his many NJ Transit buddies. He recommended the job to all his daughters, who declined, but finally he found a son-in-law he could recommend to NJ Transit as an engineer.

He was proud of his Irish heritage, making several trips to Ireland where he connected with his culture and family. Howard was a dual citizen who kept his family’s legacy alive for generations. He smuggled many Guinness pint glasses from pubs and restaurants around town, and especially from Ireland.

Howard was a self-taught handyman, able to pick up plumbing, electrical, and general construction skills with guidance from friends and what he learned by trial and error or on YouTube. He also knew his way under the hood and around the frame of cars—particularly one red Honda Civic that bore the brunt of several daughters’ driving mishaps. Howard and his wife, Jennifer, often hit the road in a sequence of RVs, touring the country coast to coast and north to south with their two spoiled canines who never left his side.

Foremost, he thrived on time spent with his family—especially his grandchildren. He would always say that when he won the lottery, he would buy a large plot of land where he would build a large house for himself and his wife and four houses for each daughter and their families within the “estate.”

After his family, he loved rock music, his guitars, a Harley, a red F-150, his iPad, and a Kubota tractor.

Surviving are his loving wife, Jennifer Maybin (nee George), his beloved children, Brittney Day (nee Mason) and husband Neal, Sheridan Maybin and partner Clarke Covell, Meredith Worthington (nee Mintzer) and husband Andrew, and Megan Keates (nee Mintzer) and husband Johnathan, his adored grandchildren Madeline, Valencia, Marion, Theodore, Caven, and Elton Aria, as well as his dear sisters Monica Maybin and Bridget “Biddy” Maybin, extended family, and friends—both F.O.T., lifelong, and new.

Memorial visitation will be held from 12:00PM to 2:00PM on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at Cusick Funeral Home, 80 Mountain Avenue, Somerville, New Jersey. Prayer services will be held at 2:00PM. A private meal for family will follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, Donate Online , or the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Donate Online .