Mahony/Hickey

Welcome to the Mahony/Hickey family page.

Below is a summary of the content for this page as of September 2012.

Family History

The section will provide photos, bios, newspaper articles, etc. on the Mahony and Hickey families starting in the mid-1800s with an overview by Ray Mahony, Jr. written in 1990. Ironically, the first profile is of a non-family member named Arthur Sawyer; an Englishman who befriended and mentored Dennis Mahony in Passaic in the 1880s when his prospects for employment were very limited. Sawyer’s generosity and support of Dennis will have an effect on our family for generations as it allowed Dennis to develop his skills, earn a good living, and better provide for his wife and five children. Photos, articles, and obituaries of Dennis and Lititia and family follow. Of note is an article appearing on December 1, 1913 one day following the death of Dennis Mahony. It is an amazing story of a tough, ambitious man, his contributions to the community, and of how our family got started in America. A profile of Paul Troast, founder with partner Arthur Sawyer Mahony of Mahony-Troast Construction Co. and husband to youngest sister Eleanor Mahony, is included. He was also the 1953 republican gubernatorial candidate vs Robert Meyner.

A photo of the Hickeys in 1900 and an article on the retirement of Frederick Hickey as general manager of the Railway Express are available.

Dedication: Helen and Ray Mahony

This section includes a pictorial tribute to Helen and Ray’s 79 year relationship. As the story goes, Helen was at party in September 1931 in Nutley with another guy. My father came down the stairs, spotted her, walked up and gave her what apparently was a great kiss and took her home that night. They were together until he passed on September 3, 2010. Photos from their childhood and teenage years and their 72 year marriage are included.

Recognition: Raymund L Mahony, Sr.

Ray, Sr. (aka Bompa) was known as Mr. Essex County for his contributions to the county government during his 40 year career. He was a highly respected administrator who spent a lifetime helping the less fortunate people in the county. He also helped countless people, many strangers, find employment and other resources in their time of need. Review of the articles, commendations, and obituary attest to this truth. But to our family he was know for his great stories and sense of humor. Read his letter to his dad Dennis in July 1907 at age 15 after he had seen Teddy Roosevelt speak at Ft Hancock at the Jersey shore and you can learn a great deal about him. You can also peruse his letters to his daughter Betty, son-in-law Jada, and to his son and daughter-in-law in 1952. Each letter is unique but all have the same themes: devotion to family, counsel when needed, and always a sense of humor.

Family Letters:

Letters written by Ray, Sr., Ray, Jr., and Helen are included. You will see their expressions of love and appreciation for their children and grandchildren. The letter from Ray, Jr. to his nieces Carol, Kathleen, and Lizzanne captures the fundamental theme of this website. Following the death of his sister in 1988 he wrote to the girls to share his feelings about his sister and hopes for the future: that long after he was gone that the cousins would stay in touch and not lose their shared legacy.

Milestones/Accomplishments:

This is a touchy area as we do not want to spend too much time in self promotion yet at the same time we have experienced some success that should be shared.

Weddings/Reunions:

Enjoy a review of the wedding invitations and photos of my siblings, nieces and nephews. I hope to update this section many times in the years to come.

Christmas Time:

Always a special time for our family, you may enjoy a look at our family Christmas card in 1958. My mom created about 30 of these and thankfully I’ve been able to hang on to an original (should be worth big money on ebay some day). There are also some letters written during the holiday season which help to capture what the season meant to us.

Book of Family Values:

My dad in all his glory: joking around, providing support, and staying in touch.

Yearbook Years:

Recently I spent a day at Mt Lakes High School with my scanner and I hope you enjoy the results.

Photos:

Currently, the Photos section is dedicated to images showing multiple generations: many with four generations of Mahonys in the same photo. One of the classics shows Ray, Sr., Ray, Jr., Denny and his son David in 1964. You can also see Ray, Jr., Denny, David and his son Quinn 30 years later. As with most of the posts this one will continue to grow in the years ahead.

Photo Gallery:

This section includes photos that were best presented in the gallery format. Our 1991 family reunion and the 2011 memorial for my dad are now available. There will be more to come.

Video:

As of September 2012 you will find videos of my parents 50th wedding anniversary party, Todd and Patty’s wedding, a dinner in my honor at a church in Staten Island, and an interview of son Ryan on the Verona Chamber of Commerce website.

Sincerely,

Art Mahony

September 2012

Welcome to Our Family Website

Mahony/Hickey

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