Obituary of Joseph P O'Donnell

Joseph P. O'Donnell, loving husband of the late Jean (Cogan) O'Donnell passed away on November 27, 2019. Joe was born in 1923 in Elizabeth, NJ to Peter O'Donnell and Margaret (Bransfield) O'Donnell. Joe grew up in Elizabeth, NJ and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School where he played basketball. He joined the U.S. Navy Seabees and served tours in Okinawa and Aleutian Islands during WWII. Joe was retired from Exxon Chemical Co. at the Bayway Refinery in 1982 after 35 years as a maintenance supervisor. Joe loved watching sports, particularly baseball, basketball and golf. He played softball as a young man in local leagues in Union County. Joe was an avid and skilled golfer. He was a member of the Roselle Golf Club for many years until moving to Palm Beach County, Florida in the late 1980's, where he continued to play into his 90's. He is survived by his loving children, daughter Barbara Valenti of Hampton, NJ and her husband Joseph, daughter Susan Cucinotta of Wantage, NJ and her husband Anthony, and son Jack of Cranford, NJ and his wife Donna. He was predeceased by his youngest daughter Jane Towell and her husband Gary, his sister Eleanor Morris and his brother John Molloy. Joe was "Pop" to his 10 grandchildren, James, Pete, Rob and Lisa Valenti, Caroline Cucinotta Little, Andrew and James Cucinotta and Kevin and Jeff O'Donnell and Lauren O'Donnell O'Toole and 6 great grandchildren, Simon, Cecilia, Mason, Madeline, Cami and Caden. A Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, Jan 4, 2020 at 11:00 AM at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Hampton, NJ. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joseph's name to the Hospice of Hunterdon County, 2100 Wescott Drive, Flemington, NJ 08822, (908)-788-6600. Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to Warren Hills Memorial Home, 234 West Washington Ave, Washington, NJ 07882, (908)-689-0119.