Obituary of Harold M. Vahey

Harry Vahey, birthday January 30, 1936, died on May 3, 2024 He grew up in Delaware County PA but spent most of his time in Burlington Twp. NJ. He was married to Regina for 51 years. They had a daughter, Rona Johnson, married to Gene Johnson and four grandchildren: Marisa, Robert, Matthew, and Jenna. His parents were Michael and Sabina Vahey and he had six siblings: Mary Mailee, Kathleen Lyons, Michael Vahey, Joan McCray, Joseph Vahey, and Thomas Vahey. Four predeceased him.

Harold M Vahey Harry obtained a Master's Degree in History from Rutgers University, and later attended Temple University where he obtained a Masters and Doctoral Degree in School Psychology. He passed the Psychology National Board Exam and received his NJ License in Psychology. He went on to obtain his Principal's certification and spent most of his professional career as Director of Special Education in the Maple Shade, NJ School system and privately counseled clients in a home office He taught History for nine years at St Joseph's Prep and Junior College in Plainsboro,NJ. His greatest satisfaction as a teacher was taking students to DC to meet Senators. Senator, Justice Brennan of the Supreme Court, J Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBl, and meeting with President Johnson's Chief of Staff in the West Wing,

Fondest memories as a psychologist, aside from counseling families, was arranging with Temple U lnternship slots at Maple Shade School where he supervised and prepared Doctoral level Psychology students to complete program requirements and to satisfy APA and NJ Licensing requirements.

As an administrator, Harry worked with a team of school professionals to find an alternative to Kindergarten retentions. Over the course of a year with meetings, research, visits to other schools, and workshops, the team set up and the Board approved a Multi Age Program putting 1st and 2nd graders together and 2nd and 3rd graders together. Students progressed at their own rate without any stigma of retention or failure. The program continued for more than 25 years.

For 50 years Harry and Regina have been members of Corpus Christi Parish, Sunset Road, Willingboro, NJ, 08046. They were active in the parish as Religious Education Teachers and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist.

Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 10:30 am at the Corpus Christi R.C. Church, 11 South Sunset Road, Willingboro, NJ. Relatives and friends are invited to his visitation Wednesday morning , 9:30am - 10:30am at the church. lnterment will follow the Mass in the Laurel Hill  Cemetery, Jacksonville Road, Burlington, NJ, 08016.

During their many years together, Harry and Regina have supported Catholic School education by providing tuition assistance to families. Annually they made donations to Guardian Angels School, Gibbsboro. NJ and Holy Cross Preparatory Academy, Delran NJ. Please consider these options in preference to flowers or other remembrances. To make a donation please click on the following links and following the directions to donate : https://www.gars-online.com  and / or  https://hcprep.org .