Joseph "Joe" A. Lannon

Joseph Anthony “Joe” Lannon passed away on August 16, 2024, at the age of 84. Born on Silver Street in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants Mary Ann (Connor) Lannon and Bernard (Bernie) Joseph Lannon both from Ruskey, Roscommon County, Ireland, Joe grew up in Philadelphia.

He attended St. Columba Elementary School and Roman Catholic High School, graduating as valedictorian of his class in 1958. He went to St. Joseph’s University and the University of Pennsylvania, all on scholarship while living at home. He earned his PhD in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 1966 and began work at Frankford Arsenal while still in school. In 1977, Joe was transferred to Picatinny Arsenal in Dover, NJ and in 1978 settled with his family in Stroud Township just outside of Stroudsburg.

He was a faithful Catholic, a member of several parishes in the Philadelphia area and a devoted 44-year member of St. Luke’s Church in Stroudsburg. During that time, he served as a Sunday School teacher, a Lector, and a Eucharistic Minister, including visiting the sick and offering them Holy Communion in his retirement years.

Joe was also a devoted husband and father, married for 59 years to his wife Elizabeth (Betsy Walsh) Lannon. They raised three children, Joe, Mary Frances, and Beth. He enjoyed travelling and going to concerts with Betsy, and hiking, and was particularly proud to have hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon at ages 65 and 75. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, Mikey and Eoin.

Joe was proud of his civilian work for the army with his organization’s mission of keeping soldiers and civilians safe. He had many accomplishments during his 58-year career, but he might have been proudest of his final achievement, serving as the Director for the Armament Research and Development Center (ARDEC) at Picatinny Arsenal from 2005 to 2010. He oversaw a workforce of 3600 people, 64 laboratories, 800 buildings with a budget of one billion dollars. His leadership in that role was recognized in November 2007 when President George W. Bush and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez announced that ARDEC was the first federal recipient of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for organizational performance excellence.

He is survived by his beloved wife Elizabeth (Betsy) Lannon, his three children Joseph, Mary Frances (and her partner Jim Fina), and Beth Ann (and her husband John Sheehy); grandchildren Eoin and Mikey; his sister, Charlotte Schippnick; and many beloved nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother, Francis Lannon.

There will be a viewing on Thursday, August 22, 2024, from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at the Joseph J. Pula Funeral Home, Inc., 23 N 9th Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. Father Michael Quinnan will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, August 23, 2024, at 11:00 AM at the Church of St. Luke, 818 Main Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. Family will receive friends from 10:00 AM to the time of service.  Burial will Follow at Laurelwood Cemetery in Stroudsburg.

pulafuneralhome.com 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joseph "Joe" A. Lannon, please visit our floral store.