Obituary of Helen Elizabeth Engle

Helen Elizabeth Engle (Kennedy) passed away after a long illness on July 28, 2024, at the age of 80.

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where her father was stationed during World War II, Helen was raised in Flushing, Queens, New York and then lived for most of her life in Oak Ridge, NJ.

Helen graduated from St. Agnes High School Class of 1960. After completing secretarial school, she worked for Playtex in the Empire State Building. While raising her family, she returned to work in sales for Sears in Rockaway, NJ for thirty years before retiring in 2010. 

Growing up in a large, proud Irish Catholic family, the eldest of her forty first cousins, her faith and her family always came first. She loved to travel and adventured all over Europe with her family.  She was great conversationalist, always optimistic and was a beautiful soul inside and out. Above all else, she loved being a wife, mother & grandmother. Time spent with her grandchildren was precious, and she could often be seen at their sporting events & performances.

She was predeceased by her loving husband of 47 years, Philip W. Engle in 2016, and both of her parents, Christopher & Kathleen (Shanley) Kennedy.  She was also predeceased by her sister Joanne Carroll in 2015.

Helen is survived by her loving children, Philip Jr. and his wife Dawn Engle of Hopatcong, Bob and his wife Nicole Engle of Montville, and Kathryn Engle Wu and her husband Daniel of Long Valley, NJ.  She was the cherished Nana to Philip III, Aidan, Isabella, Kayla, Tyler, Logan and Charlotte. She is also survived by her brothers, Christopher Kennedy and John Kennedy.

Visitation will be held on Sunday August 4, 2024, from 5:00PM to 8:00PM at Norman Dean Home for Services 16 Righter Avenue Denville, NJ 07834 www.normandean.com.  

A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday August 5, at 10:00AM at St. Thomas the Apostle Church 5635 Berkshire Valley Road Oak Ridge, NJ 07438.  Interment will follow at St. Thomas the Apostle Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in Helen’s memory be made to the USO by way of www.inmemof.org.