Obituary of Martin E. Henes, Jr.

It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing of Martin E. Henes, Jr., who passed away peacefully on October 21st in the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice in Fredon, NJ after a long and brave battle with cancer.

Marty, affectionately known as “Buster” was a gruff but kind man who left an indelible mark on the lives of so many. In November of 1949, Martin Jr. was born to Lorraine and Martin Henes Sr. in Dover, NJ. He was raised alongside his sister, Jacqueline, in the Indian Lake section of Denville and went on to graduate from Morris Knolls High School. Marty loved his hometown and spent a lot of his winters playing ice hockey with his father. They were quite the duo and earned the moniker “The Rough and Tough Henes’ of Indian Lake” for their aggressive talents.

The Summers were spent, fishing, boating, and participating in Hub Lakes Sports for swimming and diving. After his graduation from high school, he decided to further his education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, eventually earning his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. His final career was in real estate property management which kept him busy until retirement.

Marty lived a life of adventure, living in many different places during his lifetime, including, Florida and the Dominican Republic, but New Jersey was always home. He kept his adventurous spirit alive with his travels. His family remarks that he always walked to the beat of his own drum and never cared about what people thought of him. He was the type to jump on a plane at a moment’s notice and go somewhere to scuba dive, or head to New England or down the Jersey Shore, because he heard fishing was good. He was never one to shy away from adventure. Eventually, Marty made the move back to New Jersey and finally settled in Rockaway Township.

After retirement he spent his time rebuilding his Jeep Wrangler, and cruising on his Harley Davidson motorcycle. His final adventure came in taking care of his beloved 1962 Corvette. Never having idle hands, Marty always found something to tinker with, whether it was cars, electronics, or handy man projects, his hands and mind had to be kept busy. When he wasn’t traveling or tinkering, Marty enjoyed watching his old western movies on the Grit channel, or chilling out to watch a good, or sometimes bad football, baseball, or softball game. Martin’s family will always remember him as a kind, caring, and selfless man that had a signature rugged exterior.

He passes on his adventurous spirit, sense of humor, and steadfast work ethic to the loved ones who survive him. Those family members include his niece, Kimberly Bongiorno and her husband Jason Howard, his son, Martin Foster, and his sister, Jacqueline “Cookie” Burns, as well as friends and neighbors that will remember him fondly. The family thanks all of those at the Karen Ann Quinlin Home for Hospice, who cared for Marty in his final days as it not only aided him, but also gave them the peace of mind they needed when entrusting others with the care of their loved one.

     If you would like to contribute to Martin’s memory in your own way, please consider making a charitable contribution to either of the following via inmemof.org:

-Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice; A home for those at the end of life, staffed with the most kind and caring individuals who made Marty’s time there comfortable and pleasant.

-St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital: a hospital focused on providing for children in need of cancer care.

No formal services will be scheduled, but please leave a condolence, light a candle, and share your favorite memory of Buster to continue to celebrate his memory.