Hon. James J. O'Connell Jr.

On Friday, August 13, 2021, Hon. James J. O’Connell, Jr. passed away at age 90.

Born November 29, 1930 to James and Katherine O’Connell in the Ironbound section of Newark, NJ. He graduated from St. Aloysius Grammar School in 1944 and St. Benedict’s Prep in 1948. He played for the Gray Bee’s fabled undefeated baseball team and was later inducted into the NJ Hall of Fame. He graduated Seton Hall University in 1956 and Seton Hall Law in 1966.

He joined the US Marine Corps in 1948 and served in the Korea Conflict seeing action in Pusan, Inchon, Seoul, and Chosin. He was honorably discharged in 1952. He joined the Newark Police Dept. in 1953 and the Essex County Probation Dept in 1959. He was sworn to the NJ Bar in 1967 and became a trial lawyer for the NJ Manufacturers Insurance Company in 1968. In 1978, James was appointed a state judge of Workers Compensation by Governor Byrne. He retired in 1999.

James married Yvonne McGuire of Kearny, NJ in 1956. After 43 years of marriage, Yvonne passed in 1999. He is survived by his children James III and Colleen, his grandchildren Danica, Merryn, and James IV, and his lady friend Mafalda Kellner.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Anderson and Campbell Funeral Home, 703 Main. St., Toms River. A Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Church, 685 Hooper Ave. Toms River. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Toms River. Condolences may be made by visiting www.andersonandcampbell.com.