Herbert C. Hessenthaler

Herbert C. Hessenthaler, 91, passed away on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville, NJ.

Herb was born on November 5, 1932 in Ludwigsburg, Germany to his parents, Fritz and Emma Marie Hessenthaler and brother, Walter Hessenthaler. He grew up at the family’s farmhouse during wartime Germany, growing fruits and vegetables and raising livestock. After graduating high school, he enrolled in a vocational school to be a design engineer and worked for Karl Huller Inc for 3 years before immigrating to the United States. He arrived in Detroit, MI and was hired to make dies for an electric outfit that built jet planes for the military. In 1958, he was drafted into the Korean War and was trained at Fort Meade Military Base in Maryland before being sent to Germany as part of the armored cavalry.

Following his military service, Herb moved to Elizabeth, NJ and made dies for piano keys before working at RCA, and Thermoplastic Processes Inc in Sterling, NJ. At Thermoplastic Processes Inc, Herb was the tool and die design engineer and during his forty years there, he designed and received a patent for his creation of the compound extrusion die for producing an internally lined extrudate, which aided in the creation of plastic striped straws, medical plastic tubes, such as IVs, acrylic rods for chandeliers, PVC tubing with stripes, as well as the covers for florescent lights.

Herb was an avid music and animal lover and enjoyed ballroom dancing with his wife, Emma, gardening, woodworking, and feeding birds. He loved anything sweet or chocolatey, knew how to make homemade spaetzle, and played the accordion. He loved to travel abroad and vacation at Long Beach Island.

Herb always found joy in the little things, and all he wanted was to be remembered as "a decent guy who lived an honest, decent living."

He was preceded in death by his parents, Fritz and Emma Marie Hessenthaler, his brother, Walter Hessenthaler, his first wife, Gloria, and his stepson, David A. Wilkison.  

Herb is survived by his loving wife of more than 43 years, Emma J. Hessenthaler; daughters, Cindy Marvin and Wendy Benedict; stepdaughter Kathleen LoBiondo (John); 7 grandchildren, Wyatt Benedict, Jack Benedict, Scott Marvin, Christina Colonna (Lou), Melissa Concepcion (Jay), Julianna LoBiondo, and Matthew LoBiondo; and 3 great-granddaughters Sophia, Mia, and Lucia.

Visiting hours will be held from 9-11AM, Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at the Bridgewater Funeral Home, 707 East Main Street, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. Funeral services will be held at 11AM, at the funeral home, followed by entombment at Somerset Hills Memorial Park in Basking Ridge, NJ.

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