Obituary for Thomas "Benn" Bennett O'Hara
For those not able to attend the Funeral Mass.
The following information will direct you to LIVE STREAMING of the Funeral Mass. See above "Photo's and Video's under Benn's photo, to the right side of page.
Click on it. Scroll down page and click on "Watch Webcast".
Thomas Bennett (“Benn”) O’Hara of Rutherford passed away on December 29th, 2020 after a courageous
battle against brain cancer. Benn was pre-deceased by parents, Bob and Denise O’Hara of Rutherford and sister Anne M Coughlin of Mundelein, Ill. He is survived by sisters Meg (Dan) Walsh of Lewes, DE; Terry O’Hara of Ramsey; Ellen O’Hara Cicero of Fair Lawn and Mary Alice (Rich) Moller of Rutherford. Benn is also survived by many nieces and nephews: Goddaughter Erin English, Caitlin Coughlin, Maura Coughlin, Kevin Coughlin, Brendan Walsh, Haley Cicero, Nicholas Cicero, Abigail Moller and Andrew Moller. Grandnieces and grandnephews include Maddie, Jack and Norah English and Theo Coughlin-Tremblay.
Benn was born on April 18, 1963 at St Peter’s Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ and moved with his family to Rutherford in 1967. Benn loved Rutherford and considered it his hometown. Benn attended St. Mary Grammar and High School where he was an accomplished and recognized athlete on the basketball and football teams and was a valued member of both the undefeated 1980 State Championship football team and the 1981 Varsity Team.
In 2012 Benn was inducted into the St. Mary High School Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his 25 years of service sharing his basketball knowledge and life lessons with St. Mary CYO youth athletes. Under his tutelage Benn greatly expanded the CYO program which went on to win many league championships. Benn’s efforts were also recognized as having a direct impact on the success of the St Mary High School basketball programs.
Benn had a wide circle of cherished friends from his days at St. Mary’s, his Rutherford neighborhood and beyond. Benn was a generous soul who would give of his time, money and his home for those in need of shelter while expecting nothing in return. Benn’s friendships were deep and lifelong, sustaining him to his death. Benn was a lifelong fan of the NY Giants and Mets (although he had been known upon occasion to cheer on that “other” NY team, the Yankees.) Benn was employed by the Borough of Rutherford DPW and the Board of Education for many years.
Visitation hours are Monday, January 4th 4-8 pm at Calhoun-Mania Funeral Home, 19 Lincoln Ave, Rutherford, NJ . Funeral will be Tuesday, January 5th 9:30am from the Funeral Home followed by a 10:30 Mass of Christian Burial at Church of St Mary, 19 Home Avenue, Rutherford.
On behalf of the O’Hara family and for the safety of all concerned, due to COVID pandemic, the Funeral Home is only permitted to have 50 people at a time. We ask all visitors to please limit their stay to a short visit to allow other friends to pay their respects. We appreciate your cooperation.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a contribution in Benn’s name to St. Mary CYO Basketball Program (Attn: Matt Stone), 64 Chestnut St. Rutherford, NJ 07070
The following information will direct you to LIVE STREAMING of the Funeral Mass. See above "Photo's and Video's under Benn's photo, to the right side of page.
Click on it. Scroll down page and click on "Watch Webcast".
Thomas Bennett (“Benn”) O’Hara of Rutherford passed away on December 29th, 2020 after a courageous
battle against brain cancer. Benn was pre-deceased by parents, Bob and Denise O’Hara of Rutherford and sister Anne M Coughlin of Mundelein, Ill. He is survived by sisters Meg (Dan) Walsh of Lewes, DE; Terry O’Hara of Ramsey; Ellen O’Hara Cicero of Fair Lawn and Mary Alice (Rich) Moller of Rutherford. Benn is also survived by many nieces and nephews: Goddaughter Erin English, Caitlin Coughlin, Maura Coughlin, Kevin Coughlin, Brendan Walsh, Haley Cicero, Nicholas Cicero, Abigail Moller and Andrew Moller. Grandnieces and grandnephews include Maddie, Jack and Norah English and Theo Coughlin-Tremblay.
Benn was born on April 18, 1963 at St Peter’s Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ and moved with his family to Rutherford in 1967. Benn loved Rutherford and considered it his hometown. Benn attended St. Mary Grammar and High School where he was an accomplished and recognized athlete on the basketball and football teams and was a valued member of both the undefeated 1980 State Championship football team and the 1981 Varsity Team.
In 2012 Benn was inducted into the St. Mary High School Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his 25 years of service sharing his basketball knowledge and life lessons with St. Mary CYO youth athletes. Under his tutelage Benn greatly expanded the CYO program which went on to win many league championships. Benn’s efforts were also recognized as having a direct impact on the success of the St Mary High School basketball programs.
Benn had a wide circle of cherished friends from his days at St. Mary’s, his Rutherford neighborhood and beyond. Benn was a generous soul who would give of his time, money and his home for those in need of shelter while expecting nothing in return. Benn’s friendships were deep and lifelong, sustaining him to his death. Benn was a lifelong fan of the NY Giants and Mets (although he had been known upon occasion to cheer on that “other” NY team, the Yankees.) Benn was employed by the Borough of Rutherford DPW and the Board of Education for many years.
Visitation hours are Monday, January 4th 4-8 pm at Calhoun-Mania Funeral Home, 19 Lincoln Ave, Rutherford, NJ . Funeral will be Tuesday, January 5th 9:30am from the Funeral Home followed by a 10:30 Mass of Christian Burial at Church of St Mary, 19 Home Avenue, Rutherford.
On behalf of the O’Hara family and for the safety of all concerned, due to COVID pandemic, the Funeral Home is only permitted to have 50 people at a time. We ask all visitors to please limit their stay to a short visit to allow other friends to pay their respects. We appreciate your cooperation.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a contribution in Benn’s name to St. Mary CYO Basketball Program (Attn: Matt Stone), 64 Chestnut St. Rutherford, NJ 07070