“This Old Warrior Won’t Fade Away!!!” New Guttenberg Mayor James J. Hannon, who just turned 75 years young this past week, tells us that he is proud of his country, family and town, and has the track record to prove it!
Mayor Hannon and his lovely wife Patricia are the proud parents of five sons, James Jr., George, Christopher, Timothy and Terrance. They are also the proud grandparents of three granddaughters, Erin, Sandra and Briana; seven grandsons, Matthew, Nicholas, Justin, Deven, Ian, and Jeremy, and another grandson named Matthew, too! Plus they are also proud great grandparents to great grandsons Daniel and Cameron. Truly a large hardy “clan!”
In 1951 Mayor Hannon achieved his G.E.D. in the United States Air Force where he was commissioned as an Aircraft Fire Fighter during his two “enlistments” during and after the Korean War from 1951 to 1960. Mayor Hannon tells us that he became “disabled” during his service in the Armed Forces, and in 1960, after leaving the USAF, he moved to North Hudson County and lived in Union City. Later he moved to West New York and finally settled in Guttenberg in 1965. However, Mayor Hannon also tells us that he was born in Harlem, New York City, right across the Hudson River!
Mayor Hannon also tells us that he met his wife to be in 1961, and got happily married on August 3, 1966, and today is celebrating his 42nd Wedding Anniversary! His wife Patricia was born in Jersey City, raised in Weehawken and was living in Guttenberg as a young girl up and until she became Mrs. Hannon! Mayor Hannon has a general health private industry background, as he was an executive “House Keeper” at various hospitals in New Jersey, and was a Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds for the New York College of Podiatric Medicine in Manhattan, from 1968 to 1971. Furthermore in 1970, Mayor Hannon studied accounting at Fairleigh Dickinson University/Teaneck Campus. Mayor Hannon was also a “consultant” regarding House Keeping and Maintenance at selected colleges, for a State of Maryland firm, which is not out of business. In 1978,m Mayor Hannon retired from private industry, as his disabilities which he incurred while in the Air Force, began to weigh heavy on him, thus, he felt it was time to enjoy family life and community life more fully! Mayor Hannon is a “Life Member” of the Korean War Veterans Association/USA, and also of the Disabled American Veterans! He also has been a member of the Guttenberg Parade Committee since 1999 and recently was also “elected” a Hudson County Democratic Party Committeeman for the Town of Guttenberg in June 2008! Mayor Hannon is an avid history reader especially war history! While in the USAF, Mayor Hannon was awarded the Korean Service Medal, United Nations Medal Nation Defense Medal, Good Conduct Medal, the Air Force Longevity Medal Award, and a Medal from the Republic of South Korea! Locally, Mayor Hannon has been involved in Town affairs on a community and civic level, from delivering Christmas Baskets to the poor, to being a former President of the Tenants’ Association of the Guttenberg Housing Authority for 15 years
As a member of the legendary Mayor Herman Klein Association in 1966, Mayor Hannon boasts that he has personally known every Guttenberg mayor since the now-deceased Mayor Herman Klein!
As for sports, Mayor Hannon loves the New York Mets and the New York Giants. As for travel, while in the USAF he traveled to Japan, Korea, the Philippines, France, Germany, England, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland and Italy. Besides moving the Town of Guttenberg in the positive direction, Mayor Hannon also wants to accomplish two things: Renewing his marriage vows to his lovely wife Patricia on Sept. 6, 2008 at Saint Joseph of the Palisades Roman Catholic Church in West New York, and to run for the rest of the unexpired term as Mayor of Guttenberg this November, with the hopes of course of continuing his present mayorship!
As for some of the mayors before him, like former Mayor Anthony Raffaele and Peter LaVilla, they tell this columnist that they are “happy and proud” of Mayor Hannon’s elevation to the mayor’s chair.
As for Mayor James J. Hannon, he proudly told this columnist that on his first day of business at Town Hall, that I was the first journalist that he returned a telephone call to. Mayor Hannon, you humble me! All the best to you, Mayor Hannon!!!…
Readers, The Park Players of Weehawken have mailed me information that as a group, they seek out actors/actresses who are willing to audition for their comedy productions, just like they recently did for their production of the “Little Shop of Horrors” this past June, 2008. Interested parties should visit their Website at: www.parkplayers.com, or write them at Post Office Box 3100, Weehawken, N.J. 07087; or perhaps call telephone number 201-941-6030, as they listed! Best of luck!!!…
The Reverend Deacon Mr. Mate Skublics, newly ordained, has been assigned to Holy Redeemer Parish in West New York, announced Archbishop John J. Myers of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. Congratulations Deacon Skublics!!!…
Kim Schoenrock Healy, daughter of George and Connie Schoenrock of Secaucus, was recently inducted into the Sigma Beta Delta National Honor Society. Best Wishes!!!…
United States Marine Corps Reserve Private Luis E. Rivera, son of Ruth N. Rivera and Angel L. Rivera of North Bergen, has completed Basic Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island in “South Carolina. Congrats to You!!!…
Sisters Nancy Craig, Rose Ballantine, May Ellenita Hyland and Eilish Kelly, M.F.I.,C., are all celebrating their Jubilees this 2008, for their 50th, 60th, 65th and 70th Anniversaries, respectively and all are from Saint Francis Academy in Union City. Many, many happy returns of your blessed days!!!…And so it goes…until next time…see you around town…”MATT”…
Please note: Readers who would like to contribute to this column can do so by mailing your news items and photographs along with your name, address and telephone number to: Matthew Amato, Columnist, c/o The Hudson Reporter, 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Thank you.