Helene Marie Hennessy

Helene M. Hennessy died on August 13, 2021 at Del Cerro Manor in San Diego, CA. In the final weeks of her life Helene was surrounded by her family.

She leaves behind a large family including her loving husband, John T. Hennessy (aka Jack), and children: Marie Elaine DeVanie, Thomas J. Hennessy, Martin Hennessy, Barbara Ann Hennessy, John T. Hennessy Jr. and Kathleen Lepley. She is also survived by her sister, Kathleen Gordon, brother, John Ruhl and predeceased by sisters, Barbara Shorn and Geraldine Ruhl.

She will be missed by a legion of grandchildren that include: Eric DeVanie, Nicole DeVanie, Jacqueline King, Errin True, Chelsy Dickinson, Brie Carr, Coreen Eccleston, Sage Ostrom, Becky Phipps, Christopher Hennessy, Aaron Hennessy, Kristina Long, Kelly Schulz as well as 16 great grandchildren.

A Mass will be said in her honor at 10AM, Thursday, September 30, 2021 at St. Patrick Catholic Church located at 3585 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92104-4142.

In accordance with the couple’s wishes Helene’s ashes will remain at her daughter’s home in San Diego, CA. Upon Jack’s death their remains will be interred at St. Ignatius cemetery in Yardley, PA and notification of a joint memorial will be made.

For the last ten years Helene and Jack have lived in San Diego with their daughter Barbara and her wife, Victoria Puccio. A registered nurse, Barbara, along with spouse Vicki, have played a central role in Helene’s care these past years.

Helene Marie Hennessy (maiden name, Ruhl) was born February 5, 1928 at Abington Hospital in Abington, PA. She was raised on the Tyler Estates’ Horse Farm in Richboro, PA, where her father, Wilbur Ruhl and her mother’s father, John McGann were employed as horse trainers. Her mother was Helen Ruhl. Helene attended St. Andrew’s school in Newtown, PA, a one room school house at the time. Her husband to be, Jack Hennessy, sat behind her in grade school and as legend has it, he stuck a lead pencil in his leg to prove his affection for her.

During the depression her family moved to East Germantown in Philadelphia where her father found work with Philco. There she attended Little Flower High School, played snare drum in the marching band and was even called upon to conduct. She began writing letters to a certain sailor in the US Navy stationed in the South Pacific during WW II who happened to be the same boy who sat behind her in that one room school house. She married John T. Hennessy on May 31st of 1947 after he returned from the war and they made a home in Newtown, PA.

She raised six children through the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s and eventually worked as a teller for First National Bank of Newtown. She was an exceedingly beautiful woman with a lovely singing voice and along with her dancing partner, husband Jack, she was a sight to see jitter bugging at the American Legion on Saturday nights or family weddings. She was a devout Roman Catholic. She believed in the power of prayer and regularly said the rosary and attended Sunday mass.

She was affectionately known as Bunny by her family and Jack and family friends also used the nickname. She was a member of the Sodality of Mary at St. Andrew’s Church in Newtown and often hosted the Ladies’ Pinochle Club on jolly evenings at her home.

She possessed an infectious laugh that would bring a smile to anyone she met. “Cheese and crackers!” was her favorite response to an unpleasant circumstance. She was well known for her crab cakes, potato salad and iced tea. She self-published the cook book, Helene’s Cuisine, that highlights her take on classic suburban housewife recipes of the Eisenhower/Kennedy era, such as, Swedish Meatballs, Chicken Croquets and Lime Jell-O Mold.

When Jack and she retired from their jobs they moved to a house in Surf City, NJ for 15 years where she loved to walk for miles on the beach collecting shells. She also became an environmental activist and helped found Alliance for a Living Ocean in 1987 which is still active in its mission to safeguard Long Beach Island’s shores for future generations.

She and Jack then moved to a condo in Bradenton, Fla where they thrived in the company of Jack’s sister Helen Ann and husband Don. Instead of pursuing a quiet retirement they reinvented the social scene in Bradenton. As volunteers at the Knights of Columbus, Jack managed the kitchen with Helene and Helen as trusted co-workers. Soon dinner and bingo at the Knights became the hottest ticket in town. In addition to being a member of The Red Hat Society, Helene served as a Eucharistic minister at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Sarasota and was a member of the Bible study group in her condo complex.

Helene was a voracious reader and would often finish a book a day on her kindle. She loved the word jumble in the San Diego paper, completing it well before her first cup of coffee.

Donations in Helene’s memory can be made to:

Alliance for a Living Ocean https://www.alolbi.org/donate

And/or

National Alliance on Mental Illness https://donate.nami.org

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.goodbodymortuary.com for the Hennessy family.