Obituary of Joseph F. Halpin

JOSEPH FRANCIS HALPIN, of Winfield Park, NJ, passed away peacefully on January 22, 2015 at the age of 83 years. He was born on January 21, 1932 to William and Elsie (nee Etzold) Halpin, and grew up in Elmhurst, Long Island, NY, attending Saint Bartholomew School and graduating in 1945. He then attended Brooklyn Preparatory School until he graduated in 1949. On July 30, 1949, he entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) at Saint Andrew-on-Hudson where he studied ascetical theology, poetry and rhetoric. In 1953, he went to Weston College, Weston MA, where he studied philosophy until 1956, when he was assigned to Xavier High School in Manhattan and taught German, Latin, English and religion and was moderator of the debate club. In 1959 he went to study theology at Innsbruck, Austria. Upon his father's death in 1961, he returned home and continued his theological studies at Woodstock College, Woodstock, Maryland. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on June 21, 1962, and completed his studies at Woodstock in 1963. He then studied ascetical theology at Auriesville, NY for a year after which he studied linguistics at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. earning his Ph.D. in 1967. He pronounced his final vows as a Jesuit on August 15, 1965. He taught German at Xavier High School from 1967 until 1970 when he was assigned to teach linguistics at Wilmington College, Wilmington, DE. He left the Jesuits, April 24, 1973, and was laicized, January 11, 1975. In October 1975, he organized Taxshield Inc. which was his financial planning, tax preparation, and insurance business. From January 6, 2007, until April 28, 2014, he was married to Mary Jane Harris for whom he had a continuing affection. He is survived by a younger brother, John Joseph Halpin, and by his older sister, Sister Malene Halpin, O.P., of Amityville, Long Island, NY. The funeral on Friday, January 30th, at 8:45 AM from the funeral home. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 AM at Holy Trinity R. C. Church, 34 Maple Avenue, Hackensack. Visiting hours on Thursday evening from 7 - 9 PM.