Obituary: Patrick J. Hand, 90

Patrick J. Hand, 90, of Freehold Township died surrounded by his family on Sunday, Nov. 11, at CentraState Medical Center. Hand was born and had lived in Newpark Lanesboro, Co. Longford, Ireland and came to the U.S. in 1948 and settled in Brooklyn before moving to Silvermead in Freehold Township in 1994.

Hand was a blacksmith for over thirty years at the Brooklyn Union Gas Co. retiring in 1984. He was a parishioner of St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church and a member of the Pioneers of the Sacred Heart. In retirement, he served as sexton at Mary Queen of Heaven Church, Brooklyn for ten years. Prior to that, Hand was a parishioner, usher, and member of the Holy Name and Nocturnal Adoration Societies at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Flatlands, Brooklyn.

Hand was predeceased by his wife, Mary; a son, Eugene; and a sister, Molly McLoughlin. He is survived by a son, John M. Hand of Stony Point, NY; three daughters, Maureen P. Kenny of Arnold, MD, Eileen M McLeod of Freehold Twp., and Kathleen M. Sweeney of Roselle Park; eleven grandchildren; two great grandchildren; two brothers, John Hand of Newpark Lanesboro, Co. Longford, Ireland and James Hand of Denville; a sister, Teresa Moran of Drumsna, Co. Leitrim, Ireland; and many nieces and nephews.

Visiting will be at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home on Wednesday, Nov. 14 and Thursday, Nov. 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Relatives and friends may gather at the funeral home on Friday, Nov. 16, at 9 a.m. for the Procession to St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, for his 10 a.m. Funeral Mass.

Interment will follow in St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale, NY. For those who desire memorial contributions, in memory of Hand may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family visit, www.claytonfuneralhome.com.