Joseph E. McDonough, who was raised in Newark and moved to Allenhurst with his beloved Geraldine Kelly McDonough upon their marriage in 1946, died Monday, October 8, 2012 in Greensboro, North Carolina. He was 97.
Son of Mary Maher and Joseph F. McDonough, Joe went to Our Lady of Good Council High School in Newark, and graduated from Lafayette College in Easton, Pa with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1939. Working for Bendix Aviation Corp. on equipment for the Royal Air Force in early December 1941, Joe’s group received new orders immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and was retooled by December 12th to begin production for the U.S. Army Air Forces. During the remainder of WW II, Joe was in charge of teams of predominately female workers who joined Bendix in support of the war effort.
Succeeding his father as the owner of McDonough’s Florist in Newark from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s, Joe ran that major floral provider before becoming associated with Briscoe Construction Co. in 1974, where he worked until his retirement in 1992.
Joe began summering in Allenhurst with his family when he was 11. A life-long lover of the beach, and of Allenhurst, Joe and Gerry lived together for 63 years in their home two blocks from the beach, raising four children and joyfully hosting summer visits from their grandchildren. Joe was a member of Allenhurst Beach Club, where bliss consisted of a jug of iced tea under an umbrella, grandchildren needing pointers on the fine art of hole-digging, and a mid-afternoon nap in the sand. Joe served on the Allenhurst Planning Board for many years. He was a long time member of St. Mary’s Church in Deal, and, in recent years, a member of St. Michael’s Church in West End.
Since December 2009, Joe and Gerry resided in Greensboro, near their daughter Anne Beavan, Anne’s husband Rick, granddaughter Theresa Beavan O’Leary and, for the last year, great-grandson Tucker. Joe was privileged to have been the beneficiary of loving assistance by his caregiver Becky Berchie of Irvington, first in Allenhurst and then in Greensboro, as well as companionship and car rides in Allenhurst from Jack Rae of Neptune (after Joe stopped driving at age 89).
Joe will be deeply missed by Gerry, his devoted wife and partner of 66 years; his sister Marge Moore; daughter Anne and husband Rick; sons Joseph, Peter and Mark, and their wives Holly, Chris and Mary Beth; ten granddaughters and one great-grandson; and the many people whose lives he touched. He was predeceased by sisters Kathryn Foulkrod and Mary McCue.
Arrangements are entrusted to the Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home in Greensboro
(http://www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com). Condolences may be left online, via the Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home link. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Greensboro on Friday, October 12th at 1 pm, with internment to follow. A Memorial Service in New Jersey will be held for friends and family on Saturday, October 27th at 10 am at St. Michael’s Church, 800 Ocean Avenue, West End. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions be made to Christian Brothers Academy, 850 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ 07738; http://www.cbalincroftnj.org/page.cfm?p=1040.
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