Joseph J. O'Rourke, Jr.

Joseph J. O’Rourke, Jr., 89, passed away on Saturday, October 16, 2021, in Clara Maass Medical Center, Belleville, NJ with family by his side.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the family at the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, NJ on Wednesday, October 20 from 3 to 7 p.m. Cremation will be private.

Born in Newark, NJ, Joseph lived there before moving to Kearny sixty-three years ago.

He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Howard W. Gilmore during the Korean War from 1949 until being honorably discharged in 1953.

Joe earned his B.S. in Business from St. Peter’s University in Jersey City, NJ in 1960 and later served as Business Administrator at Insurance of North America for twenty-five years before retiring in 1985. He later became the custodian at St. Cecilia Church in Kearny for 8 years.

Mr. O’Rourke was a Past President of the Holy Name Society at St. Cecilia Church and also served on the Parish Council. Joe was a Past Grand Knight 3^rd Degree for Council 6928, St. Cecilia, and was past Faithful Navigator for Monsignor Peter B. O’Connor Assembly 1543, Queen of Peace. Joseph was a diehard New York Yankee and Notre Dame Football fan, loved reading, crossword puzzles, and Youtube. He loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is survived by his children, Karen O’Rourke, Patricia Moran, and her husband George, Michael O’Rourke, and his wife Christine, Jody O’Rourke, and her partner Vincent Stephens.  He was the brother of Joan O’Rourke and the beloved grandfather of Christina O’Rourke and her partner, Will Walters, Jason O’Rourke, and his wife, Christine, Nicole O’Rourke, and Nicholas Moran, and the great-grandfather of twins Quinn and Jaxson Walters and Chase O’Rourke.

Joe was predeceased by his wife, Shirley (nee Tyrell) O'Rourke.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105.

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