Obituary of John M. Connell, Jr.

Mountain Lakes, NJ - John M. Connell, Jr. died Monday, June 13, 2011 at Compassionate Care Hospice in Dover following a brief illness. He was 94. His wife of 68 years, Helen Connell, was at his side. He was born December 4, 1916, to Josephine and John Martin Connell and grew up in Woodhaven, Queens, NY. "Jack" demonstrated his technical ability at an early age and won admittance to Brooklyn Technical High School. He was hired by Combustion Engineering following graduation in 1936 and began a lifelong career of design and engineering for the electric power industry. Studying nights at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, Jack eventually moved to Foster Wheeler Corporation, where he worked for 29 years and earned his Mechanical Engineering License. He subsequently worked for Consolidated Edison and Ebasco Services before retiring at age 75. An engineering innovator, with nine patents in his name, colleagues introduced him as "the father of fluidized bed combustion." His life was much more than engineering. Jack volunteered to serve in the US Army during the Second World War. A cartographer in George Patton's 3rd army, he landed on Utah Beach during the Normandy invasion and fought through the Battle of the Bulge. With his wife, Margaret Helen (nee Kocmieroski), they raised three children, all of whom survive him. They are John M. Connell, III of Mountain Lakes; Barry Connell of Newburyport, MA; and Margaret Connell of Amesbury, MA, and their respective spouses, Martha Mann Connell; Susan Shefte Connell; and James Lukens. Jack took great delight in the accomplishments of his seven grandchildren, Daniel Mohn of Sandpoint, ID; Adrianne Campbell and her husband Jason Campbell of Spokane, WA; Aynsley and Gillian Connell of Brooklyn, NY; Nathan Connell of Philadelphia; Anne Connell of Boston; and Katherine Lukens of Amesbury, MA. A humble man with a dry sense of humor, Jack will be remembered for his wit and curiosity, his love of classical music, military history, anything technical, and his devoted family. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 am Saturday, June 18 at St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, 10 N. Pocono Rd., Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046. There will be no hours of visitation. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Jack's name may be sent to VNA of Northern New Jersey, 175 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960. Arrangements are by Mackey Funeral Home (mackeyfh.com), 107 Essex Ave., Boonton