CHRISTINE J. MC KENNA (GERRARD)
AGE: 58 RED BANK
Christine J. McKenna, 58, passed away Wednesday, June 3, 2009, at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. She was born in Rockville Center, N.Y. and resided in Port Jefferson, N.Y. before moving to Red Bank in 1975. Chris attended and graduated from Mercy High School, Riverhead, N.Y. She was a graduate of St. Vincent's Nursing School, New York City and studied at Hunter College and New Jersey City University. She also worked as the office manager at McKenna, Dupont, Higgins and Stone Law Firm, Red Bank. Chris was commonly known as The First Lady of Red Bank. She was a member of the Red Bank Planning Board and Deal Country Club and was active in many charitable activities. She was a communicant of St. James Roman Catholic Church, Red Bank. She loved her family very deeply and loved to spend Sunday's preparing great meals for the entire McKenna family and friends. She was a fantastic gourmet cook. She also hosted many parties and fundraisers at her beloved home. She traveled extensively to Italy, Ireland, Barbados and Pebble Beach. She loved golfing with her dear friends at Deal Country Club. She was known lovingly as "The General".
She was predeceased by her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Dr. Edward J. McKenna Sr. and Rita McKenna. Surviving are her husband of 37 years, Edward J. McKenna Jr., the former Mayor of Red Bank; her son, Sean E. McKenna; her daughter, Kayla C. McKenna of Red Bank; her parents, Eugene and Edna Davidson Gerrard; her brother, Paul Gerrard and his wife Pamela of Stony Brook, N.Y.; three sisters, Patricia Leffke and her husband Gary of Virginia Beach, Va., Pamela Ruschak and Richard of Jamestown, N.Y., and Ann Marie Gerrard of Westchester, Pa.; her brothers-in-law, William F. McKenna of Little Silver, Richard G. McKenna and his wife Kim of Oceanport, and John P. McKenna of Red Bank; her sisters-in-law, Kathleen A. Olsen and her husband Bernard of Little Silver, Nancy T. Connolly and her husband Jack of Remsenburg, N.Y., Marion C. Lugones and her husband Santiago of Oceanport, and Mary M. Sutphin of Rumson; and 24 nephews and nieces.
Visitation will be from 1 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7 at the John E. Day Funeral Home, 85 Riverside Ave., Red Bank. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, June 8 at St. James R.C. Church, Red Bank. Interment is private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Cancer Institute of N.J. Foundation, 120 Albany St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, www.Cinjfoundation.org. Letters of condolence can be e-mailed to the funeral home's website www.sidun.com.
Blessings to her family from Mercy Class of '69.
DECEMBER 10, 1950 - JUNE 3, 2009
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Mary E. Clausing
We have just learned that Chris had endometrial cancer, which she battled for five years. Her mom described her to Eileen Fitzgerald as a "fighter". If anyone has any additional information please let us know.May God bless her and may she rest in eternal peace. We'll see you on the other side, Chris!
Barbara A. Byrne (Byrne)
Chris and I were bus mates as well as class mates and we developed a strong friendship in our high school years. In spring of Junior year she'd sometimes get the car and drive us to school which meant we could smoke. I can still see her thumping on her steering wheel as she sang along with Grace Slick to White Rabbit with a cigarette hangin off the side of her mouth.I know we laughed a lot together.
She went to nursing school and I drove her Mom and a sister or two into her graduation ceremony in Manhattan. We all went to dinner afterwards.
I went to her wedding at Infant Jesus in PJ but we lost touch when she moved to NJ.
There's always a sense of gone too soon when someone dies before reaching old age. I am grateful for the time we had together and for her friendship.