John Henry Hanna, 85, of Manchester unexpectedly left this world to join his daughter, Jill, in God’s Heavenly Kingdom on Thursday, July 7, 2022. He was born in Youngstown, OH and graduated from Ursuline High School in 1955 where he and his future wife, Donna, were prom king and queen. John earned a business degree from Youngstown State University in 1959, and developed lifelong friendships while serving as president of the Kappa Sigma Kappa fraternity. He was a reservist in the United States Air Force for several years after graduating from college. John moved away from Youngstown shortly after graduating and lived in various cities in Northeastern Ohio before eventually settling in Whitehouse Station, NJ in 1982. John began his career at DuPont, worked for Ohio Bell, and retired from AT&T after more than 40 years of service in various administrative and human resource positions.

John was known for his quick wit, dry sense of humor, colorful phrases, and infectious laughter. He was a true family man and enjoyed time spent with family above everything else. He was a talented handyman and could repair almost anything around the house. He enjoyed sports as both a participant and a spectator and became a Yankees fan after living in New Jersey for many years. He enjoyed gardening and always had fresh tomatoes and peppers during the summer. John visited the ocean with his family during his childhood where he developed a love for all things shore-related. Eventually, he and his wife, Donna, purchased their dream home ‘down the shore’ in South Seaside Park, NJ, where they enjoyed entertaining family and friends. John loved taking his boat out on the bay, tubing with his grandchildren, and hanging out at Tices Shoal. He loved to body surf, spend time on the beach, watch lifeguard competitions, visit the boardwalk, play Frog Bog, share a pizza and beer, and generally enjoy his retirement with his family. John and Donna also enjoyed spending time at their home in The Villages, Florida, where John was an expert golf cart driver and could navigate to any location in the area.

John was committed to the Catholic Church throughout his life. He served as an altar boy at St. Dominic’s in Youngstown, then became a lector, Eucharistic minister, and member of various committees as an adult. John took his commitment to the next level when he began his studies to become a Permanent Deacon in 1992. After four years of graduate studies, workshops, and spiritual formation, John was ordained on May 5, 1996, in the Diocese of Metuchen. John ministered at Our Lady of Lourdes in Whitehouse Station and St. Pio of Pietrelcina in Lavallette where his deep spirituality was recognized by all who knew him. John’s family had the distinct pleasure of receiving sacraments from him as he baptized many of his grandchildren, solemnized marriages of several of his children, and participated in funeral masses for his siblings. Additionally, John was chaplain for the Holy Name Society and Altar Rosary Society at St. Pio. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and he created a faith sharing group that met every Wednesday. During the COVID-19 shutdown, John took his role as a servant of Christ seriously by finding a way to keep the faith sharing group connected. He did this by sending daily recorded spiritual messages for months. His Thursday message always included an ‘Oh, so happy it’s Thursday’ joke or riddle which was consistent with his outlook on life. John and his family were proud of the impact he made as a Deacon and celebrated his decision to retire from this role on June 27, 2021, so he could have more time to relax, feed the birds, and enjoy his family.

John was predeceased by his daughter, Jill Rager; parents, Henry and Catharine Hanna; father- and mother-in-law, Lynn and Margaret Beil; siblings, Rosemary Burke, Charles Hanna, Kathleen (Dave) Lauerman, and William Hanna; and brother-in-law, Clifford Booker. John is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Donna Hanna of Manchester; children, John C. Hanna and his wife, Tammy of Dayton, OH, Lynn Simonetti and her husband, Lon of Columbus, OH, Fred Rager of Somerville, NJ, Thomas Hanna and his wife Kellie of Rhinebeck, NY; Garrett Hanna and his wife, Michelle of Dexter, MI; Nicole Bbalo and her husband, Sebastian of Brick, NJ; grandchildren, Sarah, Claire, Eric, Hannah, Veronica, Grace, Jillian, Maggie, Frankie, Emma, Catie, and Patrick; sisters-in-law, Pat Hanna, Marcia Hanna, and Mary Booker; brother-in-law, George Burke; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

A visitation for John will be held on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at St. Pio of Pietrelcina Church, 1100 Grand Central Ave, Lavallette, NJ 08735. His funeral mass will follow on Thursday, July 14, 2022, at 10:00 AM. Entombment will be in St. Anne's Cemetery, 1610 Allenwood Rd., Wall, NJ 07719.. All arrangements are under the direction of O’Brien Funeral Home, Brick. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in John’s name may be made to St. Pio of Pietrelcina Church, 103 Washington Ave., Lavallette, NJ 08735. For information, directions, or condolence messages to the family, please visit, www.obrienfunrealhome.com.