William J. Hennessey, Sr.
U. S. Army
2023
William J. Hennessey Sr. was born to Edward Aloysius and Marie (Knox) Hennessey on December 25, 1927, in Danbury, CT, where he grew up with his brothers Edward and George.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 18 and after basic training was assigned to Fort Sill in Oklahoma where he was part of its Field Artillery Brigade and became part of a tank crew.
After the war, William married Effie Salem and together they made their home in Brookfield, Connecticut with their children William, Jr. and Nanci. “Bill” as he was known by all, became a successful real estate broker and investor in the Danbury area, eventually founding his own firm where he specialized in commercial and industrial properties, which he ran until his death in 1986.
Like many of his generation, Bill did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education, but he extolled its benefits and encouraged his loved ones to pursue it. Being a part of the JWV scholarship program would have made him immensely proud, resulting in a big beaming Irish smile.