Obit: Fennessy, James Michael Jr. #2 (1937 - 2015)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Fennessy, Mather, Murphy, Schmidt, Harder, Keller, Landsberg

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 11/04/2015

Fennessy, James Michael Jr. (11 May 1937 - 27 October 2015)

James Michael Fennessy Jr., 78, of Neillsville died Oct. 27, 2015, with his family at his side, after a battle with cancer. He was born May 11, 1937, in Orange, NJ, the son of James M. and Mabel (Mather) Fennessy. He grew up in Orange, NJ and graduated in 1955 from Orange High School.

Jim met the love of his life, Joan, skiing at Lake Placid while attending Paul Smith College in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. They married in Orange, NJ, in 1958 while he attended the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University. He graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science of degree in wood products engineering. He belonged to the Pi Alpha Chi Fraternity and also received a Bachelor of Science degree in math and science from Syracuse University. Upon graduation, they moved to Long Island, NY, and then Rockford, IL, where he was the Winnebago County Supervisor of Forest Preserves. In 1973, they moved to a small hobby farm in Neillsville, and Jim worked as a foreman and supervisor at Weyerhaeuser Company in Marshfield. After retiring from Weyerhaeuser, he drove for Abby Vans in Neillsville where he enjoyed meeting new folks and helping people.

Jim was an avid reader, a sports fan and always up for a good debate. He loved his birds and outwitting the squirrels. Jim always enjoyed the time he spent at his little place in the country.

He is survived by his wife, Joan (Murphy) Fennessy of Neillsville; six children, Cathy (Dan) Schmidt of Poynette, Maureen (Tim) Harder of Hugo, MN, James Fennessy of Neillsville, Patrick Fennessy of Milwaukee, Ellie Keller of Neillsville and Michael (Lea) Fennessy of Rio, WI; nine grandchildren plus baby James due in February; 10 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Patricia (Norman) Landsberg of Almeda, CA.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a granddaughter, Evelyn Grace Fennessy.

Visitation was held Saturday, Oct. 31, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville.

Online condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.  The Gesche Funeral Home assisted James’s family with funeral arrangements.