In Memoriam Walter J. Kearns

Walter Joseph Kearns died on Christmas night, December 25, 2011 at Lyons Veterans’ Hospital in Bernards Township, NJ.

He was a loyal and faithful member of the AOH for over 65 years. Walter originally joined in the mid 1940’s and served in many positions over the years. He was President of the Plainfield Division when it joined with the St. Patrick Division 1, Somerset County, NJ in 1968. He remained active in his new division and was instrumental in getting many new members for the Order.

A veteran of the 82nd Airborne in World War II, he took part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy jumping into Sainte-Mère-Église and later in the Netherlands at the Nijmegen Bridge during Operation Market Garden. He was awarded a Purple Heart for wounds suffered in the Battle of the Bulge. Later, he marched into Berlin as a member of the US occupying force.

He started and ran two successful businesses – Kearns Frozen Foods and Kearns Delivery and also worked as a Real Estate agent before retiring.

He is survived by his wife, Joan Hamill, two daughters and a son, sister, brother, six grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

As a tribute to the esteem in which he was held, the funeral Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of The Mount Chapel in Warren was attended by an overflow congregation.

Walter loved his God, his country and his Irish heritage. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam – May his soul rest in peace