Peter Joseph “P. J.” McHale III, of Raritan Township, NJ, died suddenly but peacefully on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at his home.

Born on April 25, 1955 in Philadelphia, PA, he was the son of the late Peter Joseph McHale Jr. and Dorothy Flanagan McHale. Raised in Westfield, NJ, he was a 1973 graduate of Westfield High School. He would then attend the University of Virginia where he would earn his B.S. in Biology and Chemistry. Always wanting to further his education, P. J. would go on to attain his MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

P. J. retired from Chanel, Piscataway, NJ, as a Senior Vice-President of Research and Development. His whole-hearted honesty and natural ability to empower and bring out his team’s best qualities and talents made him a highly regarded leader in the R & D department. Peter was known as a motivator who encouraged his work family to always take the high road. Having a faith that could move mountains, P. J. was a devout Catholic who believed that the foundation of happiness lay in simple gratitude for the gifts given by God. A deep thinker and dreamer, he used his wisdom to help others find their own path of life and was always encouraging those around him to push the boundaries of their potential.

The path of P. J.’s life was forever altered after a chance meeting at lunch during his first job out of college with Block Drug in Jersey City, NJ. It was at lunch with his coworkers where Eva, a new chemist herself with the company, would join the group at the lunch table and with instant chemistry, a deep friendship was formed. Having their first date on March 31, 1978, P. J. would return from the date telling his younger brother John, “I think she’s the one.”

Marrying on June 15, 1985 at Mary Mother of God Church, Hillsborough, NJ, Eva credits their longevity with simple respect for one another, grounded in faith and love. Their union gave them four children – Kathleen, Lauren, Shannon, and Peter – who each remember their father as being there for each of them in every way possible. Even though he had a demanding and tough job, P.J. always made sure that he was there for every dance recital, karate tournament, art show, and after-school activity. He was emphatic that his children each appreciated the value of learning, not to focus on monetary success, but rather to be able to follow their passions and make a positive impact on others.

Passionate in all he did, P. J. had a wonderful sense of Dad humor and had a keen ability to make everyone feel like they were the center of his world. He was a friend whose prevailing optimism was a beacon of light and that friend you could go to anytime about anything. Having many hobbies, he was a longtime member of Copper Hill Country Club and an avid history buff, with the history of our country being his favorite topic. He enjoyed riding his tractors, reading and writing, and reflecting on some of the deeper questions in life. He supported all of his kids in their education including degrees from Penn State, James Madison University, Carnegie Mellon University, MIT, the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, and Clarion University. He was also a devout and longtime parishioner of St. Magdalen Church, Flemington, NJ.

Though his sudden passing leaves a heavy void, P. J.’s own mantra to family and friends gives hope: “Dream Big, Work Hard, Be Kind.”  These words provide a sense of direction for those who were close to P. J. and honor his legacy.

Surviving, in addition to his wife Eva, are his children and their spouses, who P. J. considered his own sons, Kathleen and Douglas Burke, Lauren McHale and Jason Brown, Shannon and John Montgomery, and Peter Joseph McHale IV; his granddaughters, Grace Burke and Taryn Montgomery who loved their BopBop immeasurably; his brother and sister-in-law, John and Molly McHale; his aunt, Eileen Dugan; his mother-in-law, Emma Sebok; his nieces and nephews, April and Matthew Laufer, Danielle and Brad Shields, Patrick and Taylor McHale, and Jennifer McHale; several extended family members; and many dear friends he made during his lifetime.

Visitation at the funeral home, a Mass of Christian Burial at St Magdalen Church, and entombment at St. Magdalen Mausoleum were private due to the current pandemic under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ. The family does appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love and support and hopes one day soon to be able to gather together safely to celebrate P.J.’s life.

You are encouraged to visit P. J.’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.

Memorial contributions in his honor may be made to Adoption Alliance, via mail to 7303 Blanco Road, San Antonio, TX 78216, or online by clicking HERE.

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