Charles Albert Honecker

Charles A. Honecker Mountainside Contractor, Veteran of Normandy, POW Charles A. Honecker, 87, passed away on Wednesday, November 23, 2011, at the Lyons Veteran's Hospital in Basking Ridge. Relatives and friends are invited to the visitation from 2-4 and 7-9 PM, Tuesday November 29, at Gray Funeral Home, 318 E. Broad St., Westfield (www.grayfuneralhomes.com to offer condolences). Funeral services will begin at 11:00AM Wednesday November 30, 2011 in Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Gallows Hill Rd., Westfield. Interment will follow in Fairview Cemetery, Westfield. Born in 1924 in Elizabeth, N.J., he lived all of his life in Mountainside. Mr. Honecker graduated from Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield in 1942, where he excelled at football, basketball and baseball. He was inducted into the U.S. Army on February 24, 1943, a member of C Company, 806th Parachute Infantry of the101st Airborne Division. Mr. Honecker made two jumps during World War II, one at Utah Beach in France on June 6, 1944, and the other in Holland on September 17, 1944. During his landing in the Holland jump, he was shot in the head and shoulder and taken prisoner by the German forces until the end of the war. He was honorably discharged from service on January 27, 1947, a recipient of a European-African-Middle Eastern Ribbon, Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Mr. Honecker became a successful plumbing and heating contractor after the war. He owned and operated Mountainside Plumbing and Heating for over 35 years. Mr. Honecker always loved sports. As a youngster, he followed the NY Giants baseball team until their move to San Francisco, when he then became an avid NY Mets fan. Mr. Honecker successfully coached Little League and Babe Ruth baseball teams over the years, always stressing to his players that the fun was in the game and that every team member had the right to play, no matter what the ability. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Vasy; a daughter, Diane Bellina of Westfield and her husband, Dan; a son, Lee C. Honecker of Bernardsville, his wife, Lisa, and their two daughters, Candace and Cassandra; a brother, Robert A. Honecker of Mountainside, and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the New Jersey Chapter of American Ex-Prisoners of War, 136 Jefferson St., Metuchen, NJ 08840 or the Alzheimer's Association of Greater New Jersey at donorservicesinfo@alz.org