Joseph A. “Joe” Kinney, Jr., age 98 years, of Raritan Township, NJ, died peacefully on Monday, March 7, 2022 at Hunterdon Care Center, Raritan Township, NJ.

Born on August 3, 1923 in Newark, NJ, son of the late Joseph and Margaret Murphy Kinney, Joe was raised in Newark and had formerly lived in Maplewood and Toms River, NJ before splitting his time with family in West Caldwell and Flemington, NJ.

A depression-era youth, Joe, like most adolescents at the time, left school to find work to help support his family. These early life lessons of ‘hard-work’ and ‘family first’ would stay with him throughout his life, only eclipsed by his love of country, another attribute common among depression-era children.

This passion for the United States stemmed from his joining the war effort on November 7, 1942 when he enlisted in the United States Navy. Serving as an Electricians Mate Third Class, Joe found his education and passion for humanity as he explored the world while at the same time helping to secure it from evil and tyranny. Seeing action mostly in the Asiatic and Pacific theatres, Joe proudly served on the destroyers, USS Henderson (DD-785) and USS Claxton (DD-571), prior to being honorably discharged on January 25, 1946.

Returning to civilian life, Joe would become an electrician for the Electricians Local Union #52 where he would become a top electrician for several of the major breweries in Newark, including Budweiser, Ballantine and Rhiengold. He was well respected among his peers for his dedication and institutional knowledge.

He would meet the love of his life while both were young, but they lost contact until after the war where Jeanette Sokoloski also served her country as a member of the United States Navy. The two would rekindle their romance and join hands in holy matrimony on May 19, 1951 at St. Aloysius Church, Newark, NJ. They enjoyed forty-eight loving years together until Jeanette’s passing from this life into eternal life in 1999.

Grounded in their catholic heritage, God would bless their union with a daughter and three sons. The Kinney children all recount their father as being loving and caring, whimsical and philosophical. His omnipresent Irish smile and the twinkle of his blue eyes, made him the family storyteller whose stories, mostly about World War II and the Great Depression, would transport anyone listening into a different world. Joe was proud to educate, and by doing so encouraged all to always strive for their best and then to exceed it!

Some of the most prolific Joe stories are him recalling the days of swimming in the Passaic River and crabbing down at the Jersey Shore, especially in Barnegat Bay. He and Jeanette also enjoyed traveling, with many fond memories made in Hawaii and Alaska. The pair were also very good bowlers, which provided a foundation for some solid story-telling on Joe’s part about his many “near-300” games…

Finding strength in recalling the days of his youth, Joe was a proud member of both the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in both Flemington and West Caldwell, NJ.

Throughout his ninety-eight years on Earth, Joe made his mark by living a life grounded on faith, emboldened by hope and lived in love. He truly exemplified and was the epitome of, “The Greatest Generation” and his legacy as a humble role model will not soon be forgotten. He would not want to end on a sad note, but rather he would want you to raise a toast to yourself and to all peoples with the following Irish blessing:  “May the friendships you make, be those which endure, and all of your grey clouds be small ones for sure. And trusting in Him, to whom we all pray, may a song fill your heart, every step of the way.”

In addition to his parents and wife, Joe was preceded in death by his siblings, Rose, Kinney, Richard Kinney, Jack Kinney, and Margaret Morgan.

Surviving are his children and their spouses, Kevin Kinney, Karen Fusco, Kenneth and Clare Kinney, and James and Carmela Kinney; nine grandchildren, Elizabeth, Melissa, Gary, Brian, Karen, Christopher, Alexa, Nicole, and Haley; two great grandchildren; several extended family; and many friends made as Joe bridged the gap of generations to be a friend to all people!

Joe will lie in repose on Monday, March 14, 2022 from 10:00 -11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

A Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Rev. Kenneth Brighenti will take place on Monday, March 14, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. at St. Magdalen Church, 105 Mine Street, Flemington, NJ.

Following mass, Joe will be laid to rest with military honors at Belvidere Cemetery, Oxford Street, Belvidere, NJ, and to which all are welcome.

You are encouraged to visit Joe’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

In lieu of flowers those who wish to make a donation in Joe’s honor may do so to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675 or online by clicking HERE.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”