Paul M. Hennessey

Paul M. Hennessey passed away on Sunday, August 14, 2022 at his home, surrounded by his loving family.  He was 97 years old.

Paul grew up in Queens Village, NY with his 5 sisters and brother, John. At 18 he enlisted and served in World War II. Part of the 78th Infantry “Lightning” Division, Paul fought in the Battle of the Bulge. During the 50th Anniversary of WWII, Paul’s wife, 2 of his children, and 2 of his grandchildren accompanied him on a tour to revisit many of the battle sites, where he recalled moments of courage, fear, and duty that his family treasures. We remember his cold and hungry Christmas Eve in the Ardennes forest where his unit made “ice cream” by melting emergency-ration chocolate with snow in a soldier’s helmet over a small fire. His service was a defining element of his life. He and his wife traveled to West Virginia annually to honor his unit’s Medal Of Honor recipient. Paul was also a member of a Battle of the Bulge group which met monthly at Picatinny. 

After the war, Paul attended the University of Biarritz in France on the GI Bill and then Villanova University where he received a BS in Chemical Engineering in 1950. Paul worked as a Chemical Engineer until retiring at 72 from Otto York Company of Montville. Paul was an engineer beyond the office: he once use an inner tube from a bicycle wheel to repair our dishwasher, collected and labeled every possible size of nail and screw in empty baby food jars, and had perfectly good reasons to visit Home Depot every chance possible. 

Paul met the love of his life, Dorothy Connors, at a Halloween party. They were married on June 26, 1954 and had seven children. They moved to Savannah, Georgia; Tonawanda, New York; and, finally to Wharton, NJ where they have lived for the last 60 years. He and Dorothy never missed a chance to travel and enjoyed numerous trips to Europe. His love for Dorothy was, and is, eternal. Every year on their anniversary, Paul gave mom a bouquet of daisies, the flowers she carried at her wedding, adding a flower each year. Just a month ago, they celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary.

Paul was a longtime member of St. Mary’s Church, Wharton, and served as a lector and a Eucharistic minister. His faith was the cornerstone of his life and evening meals always began with prayer and asking for blessings for his children and grandchildren. Paul also believed in service to the community and served on the Wharton Zoning Board for many years and volunteered with Dorothy at the Morris County Arboretum, where there is a tree honoring his and her service.  Paul also enjoyed gardening, tennis, and jogging. 

Paul is survived by six of his children (spouse), Edward Hennessey (Janet), Michael Hennessey (Cathy), Sean Hennessey (Michelle), Brendan Hennessey (Cathy Berggren), Emmett (Janet), and Maura Hennessey Appelson (Steve), twenty grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren who fondly call him Pop, and two sisters. He was predeceased by his daughter, Bridget Hennessey.

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 19th from 5pm - 8pm at Bermingham’s Funeral Home, 216 South Main Street, Wharton, NJ. A mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, August 20th at 10am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 425 W Blackwell St, Dover, NJ. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hurd Street, Mine Hill, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Morris Park Alliance, which includes the Morris County Arboretum, at https://www.morrisparks.net/index.php/supporters/the-park-alliance

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