Owen Dinneny

DINNENY, Owen, 68, of Long Valley, NJ, formerly of Hillsdale, NJ, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 11th, 2021. Owen fought cancer for five years with strength and with grace. Owen is survived by his beloved wife Diane; his loving daughters Kate Lyn and Megan; his dear father John Joseph Dinneny; his siblings Mary Pat Donnalley (Gray II), Katherine Dronzek (James), Nancy Corcoran Davidoff (Barry), John Dinneny Jr. (Susan), James Dinneny, Theresa Ebel, Noreen Rosica (Ray), Margaret Dinneny and Thomas Dinneny (Holly); his sister in-law Karen Harba (Jim) and nineteen nieces and nephews. Owen has been blessed with many special aunts, uncles and cousins. He is predeceased by his mother Annie Dinneny (nee Brennan) and his nephew, Gray Donnalley III.

Owen was born in New York City to John and Annie Dinneny who emigrated from Ireland in the late forties. Owen is the oldest of ten children who grew up in Hillsdale, NJ and spent his youth loving and playing baseball. He was an alter boy at St. John The Baptist R.C. Church, and loved his weekly paper route. He was a high school wrestler and baseball player. Owen began his college career as a merchant marine at SUNY Maritime College where he spent a summer traveling the world on a ship before completing his BS in Civil Engineering at Rutgers University. After college he spent time in Los Angeles as a Vista volunteer. Owen also earned his Masters degree in Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Owen started his career as a civil engineer working at ITT in the Defense Communications division. His next job had him working for Rhone-Poulenc, his start with the pharmaceutical industry. He traveled the world to supervise the building and conversion of chemical and drug facilities. This continued into the last twenty years of his career while at Merck & Co., Inc. He held many positions there, ending his career as acting Vice President of Engineering.

Owen and Diane were married in 1983 and lived in Paramus, NJ and Pompton Lakes, NJ before moving to beautiful Long Valley, NJ with their two daughters. Owen enjoyed the Newcomers Association, YMCA Father/Daughter program and coaching the girls softball teams. He was a self-taught guitar player and lover of early rock and roll.

Owen’s passion for all things golf was the thread throughout his adult life. He loved watching and playing golf as much as he could. The connections and strong bonds with his high school buddies meant a great deal to him. It was the love and joy of the game that kept him swinging. In recent years he enjoyed volunteering at many PGA tournaments. His favorite trip recently was to visit St. Andrews in Scotland where he made sure to bring back mementos for the guys.

Owen and the family have loved traveling together, especially their trips to Ireland to visit his relatives. His love of family and friends was always an important part of who he was. A great storyteller who loved to embellish at times like a true Irishman. A great dad, husband, brother and friend, he will always be remembered as a special person that touched many lives along the way. Peace has come, Owen.

The family will receive guests at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Rd., Westwood, NJ on Friday, July 16th from 2-4 and 6-9PM. A Mass celebrating Owen's life and faith will be held at St. John The Baptist R.C. Church on Saturday, July 17th at 10AM with interment at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, NJ to follow. Memorial contributions can be made in Owen's name to the John Theurer Cancer Center, 92 2nd Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601.