John Hennessey Jr
Age - 76
October 22, 2023
John J Hennessey Jr, born February 17, 1947 at the Berlin Army Hospital, FRG, passed away on October 18, 2023 at the age of 76. John was an Army brat and the oldest of five siblings who had lived with their parents in Germany, Kansas, Georgia, Virginia, Minnesota and North Carolina. After graduating in 1965 from Pacelli High School in Columbus, GA where he played football, ran track and wrestled, John enlisted in the Army with three fellow Army brats from Fort Benning and completed Army basic combat training at Fort Jackson, SC. He then attended the United States Military Academy Prep School at Fort Belvoir, VA, received a congressional appointment to West Point and, while awaiting participation in USMA's "R(eception)-day, completed Airborne School at Ft Benning. On USMA graduation and commissioning as an Infantry officer in 1970, John married the love of his life, Marylou (Missy) Blanchard who happened also to be the daughter of his father's classmate (USMA '44), George Blanchard. After wedding at Ft Myer VA, John and Missy traveled to Ft Benning, GA where he completed Army Ranger School and the Infantry Officer Basic Course. On completing his initial year as a 2d Lieutenant with the 1st Infantry Division (Forward) in Augsburg, FRG, John completed rotary wing flight school at Ft Rucker, AL and was assigned to the Republic of Vietnam as a UH-1 pilot. During his remaining seventeen years of active duty, John served as a commander or staff officer in the 9th Infantry Division, the 82d Airborne Division, the 8th US Army and the Army Training and Doctrine Command. John earned a Masters of Public and Private Management degree at the Yale University School of Management in New Haven, CT and later completed the Army Command and General Staff College at Ft Leavenworth, KS. Rounding out his more traditional military roles, John served on the faculty at West Point as an associate professor and course director of the organizational leadership course which is required of all 3d-year cadets. John retired from the Army in 1991 as a Lieutenant Colonel and transitioned to corporate life, initially with Sovran Bank in Norfolk, VA and, later through multiple mergers, with Bank of America (BAC) and Capital One (COF). His roles included Quality and Training Manager for the BAC credit card company, senior change management consultant to the BAC Financial Products Group, Director of BAC Leadership Training and, finally, as an HR executive for the COF IT group. In 2005, John returned to the Army as a civil servant in the Army Training and Doctrine Command and later as a contractor and senior consultant to the Office of Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs until he left the workforce in 2015. John and Missy then moved to Midlothian, VA to be near their daughter, Beth, and her family and later, their son, Scott and his family when they moved to Virginia. In addition to spending quality time each week on the sidelines of his grandchildren's seemingly year-round athletic events, John enjoyed bicycle touring, photography, family glamping, fishing with good friends and traveling abroad. In addition to his loving wife Missy, John deeply cared for his extended family - his brother, sisters, his two children and their spouses, and his seven grandchildren - and made enriching these special relationships an energizing focus of his golden years. John also wanted to give back to his community and did so by supporting two immigrant families as each endeavored to assimilate successfully to American life. He also made weekly meal deliveries to, and lifted up, elderly and indigent people as a route driver for FeedMore's Meals on Wheels. John is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Marylou (Missy) Hennessey; son, Scott Hennessey (Rachel); daughter, Elizabeth Lucas (Tony); grandchildren, Theo, Thomas, Keira and Kristen Hennessey, Jackson, Adam and Georgia Lucas; sisters, Kathleen Barbour (Mark), Sarah Jones, and Hope Hennessey. He is preceded in death by his parents, GEN (USA, ret) John and Mary Hennessey; and his brother, James Hennessey (Linda). The funeral will take place at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church on Monday, October 30th, at 1:00 pm. Donations may be made in his memory to Commonwealth Catholic Charities, the Power of Hope, at https://cccofva. networkforgood. com/projects/101737-c-the-power-of-hopeShow more
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