Joan D. Finnerty
Joan D. Finnerty, formerly a lifelong resident of Harrison, died surrounded by her loving family Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, at the Community Hospice in Jacksonville, Florida.
She was 91.
The funeral will be conducted from the Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave., Harrison, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at Holy Cross Church, Harrison at 1 p.m. Friends and relatives of Joan and her family may attend her Memorial Gathering at the funeral home Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 from 9 a.m. until noon.
Born in Jersey City and raised in Kearny, Joan moved to Harrison at 18 and resided there until she was 89. She moved to Florida to be with her family in January 2024, but the Town of Harrison was her always her favorite place and where she called home.
Joan was a tireless volunteer in so many organizations and was an active member of Holy Cross Church. She coordinated several fundraisers for Holy Cross Church during her time as an active parishioner. Joan belonged to the Cancer Society, the Rosary Society, the Holy Name Society, the many PTAs at Holy Cross School and Harrison
High School, when her children were young.
She worked bingo at Holy Cross well into her late 70s. She ran a monthly bus ride to Atlantic City from Holy Cross Church for more than 30 years. She organized and chaired tricky trays, rummage sales, bake sales and Sunday coffee fundraisers for more than 35 years.
Holy Cross Church was truly her second home.
Joan was a switch board operator for many years for various law firms in Newark, before going to work for the Town of Harrison where she spent 28 years, retiring in 2023 at the age of 88! Joan was Senior of the Year for the Town of Harrison and received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal in the 1990s. This is the highest honor bestowed by the Catholic Church and the Pope to those who have dedicated their lives to advancing the church’s mission.
She was truly a tireless and selfless woman who gave of herself endlessly and always put others first. She will be
missed beyond measure.
When Joan was not volunteering or working, she spent her spare time traveling the world, cruising and visiting Atlantic City. To know Joan, was to know her love of a slot machine; however, her deepest passion was the love for her large family. They were truly her whole reason for living.
Joan is survived by her loving children, Maureen Hagan, Michael Finnerty and Kathleen Enright and her husband Raymond Enright. Eight cherished grandchildren, Melynda Weingartner, Tara Barry, Toni Passenti, Tina Riccio, Nicole Sauers, William Finnerty, Brandon Giannuzzi and Justin Giannuzzi. Joan is also survived by 18 great-grandchildren and two great-great children as well as her two sisters Grace Casement and Loretta Andrewski-Vecere. In addition, Joan had many nieces, nephews and friends who loved her deeply. Joan was predeceased by her mother and father, John and Wanda Engles, her husband Joseph Finnerty and her beloved oldest son Joseph Finnerty.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mulliganfh.com
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations Catholic Charities USA in care of the funeral home in loving memory of Joan.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.