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May 11, 2026
Dear Alumnae and Friends,
It is with sadness that the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College (AADC) shares the news of the passing of Edward L. Hennessy, Jr. on May 8, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He was a renowned corporate, civic and nonprofit leader, formerly of New Vernon, NJ, whose guidance, advocacy and support of the Associate Alumnae community made an enduring impact during some seven decades and for generations to come.
As a corporate leader, including as a retired CEO of Allied-Signal, Inc., and philanthropist, he built businesses and organizations which better society globally. His unwavering devotion to the AADC and to Douglass students greatly assisted both current and future generations of Douglass women. He was recognized for his impact with the 2016 Douglass Medal, now called the AADC Medal.
Ed was a passionate believer in the power of education to change lives. Together with his late wife of 65 years, alumna Ruth Schilling Hennessy ’50, he endowed the Edward L. Hennessy, Jr. and Ruth S. Hennessy Foundation Scholarship, in 2008. His generosity also endures for all who pass through the Ruth Schilling Hennessy Alumnae Center, which was renovated and dedicated in his wife’s name in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary and Ruth’s 50th Vanguard Reunion. He was a strong advocate and trusted advisor during the Save Douglass College and Save AADC campaigns. He and Ruth also generously welcomed alumnae for gatherings and sisterhood in their Florida and New Jersey homes.
He also contributed to the greater Rutgers University community through his service on the Rutgers Board of Trustees for nearly two decades. He received many honors including an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree. He helped attract talented students to Douglass through a Tri-County Scholarship Fund, a non-profit he co-founded to help give disadvantaged students assistance in obtaining quality education.
We will miss his involvement, leadership, and friendship to our AADC community. We offer our deepest condolences to his loved ones. For more about his legacy and information about services, please see click link for Doyle Funeral Home.
In alumnae spirit,
Lisa Dorio Ruch '89, AADC President
Eileen M. Cotter, AADC Executive Director
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