Obituary of George Hankel

George Hankel, 91, passed away peacefully on 8/11 at home surrounded by his loving family. He was a long time resident of Farmingdale and served his country proudly in the US Navy during WWII and was honorably discharged from the service. In 1954 he married the love of his life and best friend, June (Olenitsky) and together they raised their two sons in Farmingdale. George was an active member of the American Legion. He also volunteered his time with Weblo Scouts as a leader, coached Little League Baseball and worked to raise funds in support of the Howell-Farmingdale Pineland Soccer Club. He was active in his town, helping out with the annual Farmingdale Memorial Day Parade. In 2009 George was selected as the Grand Marshall for the Parade. Involved with athletics throughout his life, George excelled at bowling and was a devoted member and secretary of the Howell Monday Night League for 56 consecutive years. As a result, the League is now known as the George Hankel Classic. In 2001 George was honored by the International Bowling Hall of Fame for bowling a perfect 300 game. In 2012 he was recognized by the United States Bowling Congress for 60 years of service to Monmouth County bowlers. Monmouth County Bowling Assn. also gave him a Distinguished Service Award in 2002. He leaves behind, to cherish his memory, June his beloved wife for 62 years, his sons, George (JoAnn) of Howell, Jeffery (Cathy) of Naples, FL and his adoring grandchildren Todd and Shannon of Howell. Visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Monday, August 14, 2017 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the funeral home on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at 10:00 AM for the procession to his 11:00 AM Funeral Mass at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 31 Asbury Road, Farmingdale. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, 81 Rt. 524, Farmingdale. For those who desire, memorial contributions may be made in George's name to Meridian At Home, 1340A Campus Parkway, Neptune, NJ 07753. For information, directions, or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.