Obituary of GEORGE J. EL-HAJJ

Mr. George J. El-Hajj passed away peacefully Wednesday, July 18, 2007 at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston following a long illness. He had just celebrated his 79th birthday three days ago on July 15th. Born and raised in Shenandoah, PA., he had lived in Philadelphia, PA., and Union, NJ before moving to Parsippany, NJ in 1972. Mr. El-Hajj was a 1946 graduate of Shenandoah Catholic High School and earned a BS in Science from St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia in 1950. He also did post-graduate studies at Temple University and Fordham University. He served as a staff sergeant in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He was stationed in France. Following the war, he returned to the states and taught high school chemistry at Pitman, Merchantville and Runnemeade High Shools before movingt to Irvington High School in 1960 where he taught for 29 years and served as science department head for 10 years. He retired in 1989. He was honored as an outstanding veteran and educator by the Cpl. Ferdinand Post 809 Jewish War Veterans, and as Teacher of the Year several times by the Irvington School System. He also received the Star Ledger Scholars Teacher Award in 1989. He was a longtime member of St. Peter the Apostle R.C. Church where he was a lector and member of the Adortation Ministry. Mr. El-Hajj was a member of the Morris Music Men Barbershop Quartet Choir and had served as the group's president. A devoted son and brother, he was preceded in death by his parents George and Lizzie, and his siblings Mary El-Hajj, Joseph El-Hajj, Lurene Reppucci, Helene Haggar and Alma Anthony. Survivors include his sister, Jean Anne El-Hajjof Parsippany; three nieces, Mary Haggar, Helene Haggar, and Jean Brooks; two nephews, George and Gerard Anthony; 8 grand-nieces and nephews and 5 great-nieces and nephews.