Hazel K. Henkel, age 100, of Lakewood passed away peacefully on Friday, June 24, 2016 at her home in Leisure Park. Born January 13, 1916 to Daniel and Mabel Brady of Bayonne, she graduated from Bayonne High School. Mrs. Henkel worked as a comptometer operator in New York City for many years and later was a bus driver for Russman Transportation in Palisades Park before retiring.
Hazel married Wilbur Henkel from Jersey City who preceded her in death in 2006. They lived to Ridgefield and had three children; Neal William Henkel and his wife, Mary Anne of Point Pleasant, Karen Henkel who passed away at an early age and Mary Ann Umbrino and her husband, Richard Rocco Umbrino of Point Pleasant. She has seven grandchildren, Sharon Henkel Deeney and her husband, John, Joseph Henkel and his wife, Gina, Thomas Henkel, Paul Henkel, Kevin Henkel and his wife, Meg and Richard Umbrino and his wife, Fabiana, and Michael Umbrino and his wife, Lori. She also has eleven great grandchildren, Jessica, Michael, Abigail, Grace, Katie, Owen, Seamus, Claire, Angus, Benjamin and Noah. She also leaves her sister, Monica Foran, age 97 who resides in Leisure Park as well.
She enjoyed volunteering her time in various organizations which included The Mother’s Club of Xavier High School, The Mother’s Club of Holy Angels Academy, St. Matthew’s RC Church in Ridgefield where she was a Brownie and Campfire Leader, The Tuckerton Garden Club, The Holy Name Hospital Guild, where she was a former vice president and wrapped bandages for cancer patients, as well as spent over 35 years as a volunteer at Southern Ocean Medical Center.
After her retirement, she and Wilbur moved to Mystic Shores in Tuckerton where they enjoyed playing golf, painting, travelling the world and telling her travel tales to her grandchildren, and never forgot a thing!
At Leisure Park, Hazel enjoyed activities such as Mahjong, cards, and Mexican Dominos and was an active member of the Red Hat Society and the Knitting Club. Hazel always had a great attitude to live one day at a time.
Visiting and wake service will be on Tuesday from 4-7pm at the O’Brien Funeral Home, 505 Burnt Tavern Road, Brick. A prayer service will be conducted on Wednesday, 10:30am in the funeral home. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington. Donations may be made in her name to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society or to the Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation.