Josephine M (Jacobs) Henne

Josephine M. “Jo” Henne, 96, of Piscataway, NJ, died peacefully December 16, 2022 in her daughter’s home, with family by her side.

Born June 9, 1926 in the small coal mining town of Johnstown, PA, Jo was a daughter of the late Joseph C. and Mary (Regiec) Jacobs. With her family, she moved to New Jersey as a young girl and lived in Manville, Raritan, Dunellen and Piscataway. Jo grew up in a Polish Catholic home.

Jo met her future husband George F. Henne, through her brother after WWII. They married August 17, 1947 in the Resurrection Polish National Catholic Church in Dunellen, NJ and had two children, a son George Jr. and a daughter Diane.

While she raised her family, Jo held many jobs, including waitressing; a “Rosie the Riveretter” drill press operator during WWII at Bound Brook Oil-Less Bearing Co. in Bound Brook, NJ; was a switchboard operator for Bell-Tel in Plainfield, NJ, the Doctor’s Exchange answering service, Sears in Watchung, NJ and Raritan Valley Hospital in 1966 which became Green Brook Regional Center for Handicapped Adults, retiring from there in 1988.

Jo was a member of the Arbor School PTA in Piscataway where she served on the board; a member of the Arbor Hose Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary and VFW Tri-Boro Memorial Post 5479 Ladies Auxiliary in Dunellen, NJ, where she maintained her membership since 1949.

Jo had a passion for travel and visited Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Norway in 1974, the Philippines in 1985 and China and Japan in 1989.

Her husband George passed away October 17, 1981 just after their 34th wedding anniversary.

She will be remembered for her love of dancing, especially the Polka, dining out, Indian leg wrestling with her grandchildren and nephews; feeding birds, musical trinkets of all types, Find-a-Word puzzles, crocheting and reading. Most importantly, she was a kind, humble and generous person who was devoted to her family.

Jo is survived by a son, George F. Henne, Jr.; a daughter, Diane Henne-Schenck and her fiancé, Patrick McAlonty who was a wonderful caregiver to Jo; grandchildren George III, Gerry and Georgia Henne, Richard and wife Elizabeth, Michael and wife Dawn, and Kimberly Schenck (fiance’ Ron Honickel); great-grandchildren Jarod, Aria, Tristan, Daphne, Mikaela, Richard and Raelyn; her beloved Godchild & niece Wally Yurgel and her wonderful husband Bill; her brother-in-law Joseph Henne and his wife Muriel, along with many nieces and nephews and two step-grandchildren.

Jo’s brothers Steve, Frank, Walter, John and Joseph, sisters Jean, Pauline Bartek-Kohlepp-Kice, and Joan Sandor and her son-in-law, Richard L. Schenck, Sr. all died earlier.

Visitation will be held 5:00 – 7:00 pm, Tuesday in the Scarponi-Bright Funeral Home, 26 Main St, Lebanon, NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11:00 am, Wednesday in St. Catherine of Siena Church, 2 White Bridge Rd, Pittstown, NJ.

Funeral arrangements: Noto-Wynkoop Funeral Home, 289 S Main St, Phillipsburg, NJ www-noto-wynkoop.com.

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