Deacon Daniel Joseph McNerny

Deacon Daniel Joseph McNerny, 83, of Summerville, SC, entered eternal life in Heaven on Monday, August 21, 2023. 

Born on March 18, 1940, in Sayreville, NJ, he was the son of the late Marie Brennan McNerny and Thomas McNerny. 

Dan grew up in South Amboy, NJ where he attended St. Mary Elementary School and Perth Amboy Vocational High School.  After graduating high school he attended Newark State Teachers College.  He served his country in the U.S. Army, primarily in Okinawa during the Vietnam War.  Upon completion of his service, he returned home and started his family. He studied air conditioning and refrigeration at Lincoln Technical Institute full time during the day while working full time nights at Fedders Corporation.  After graduating from Lincoln Tech, he began his 35 year career at Johnson and Johnson Ortho Diagnostics in Raritan, NJ.  

He lived a life of volunteerism and service to the communities in which he lived.  He loved coaching his children’s sports teams, was a Scoutmaster in the Boy Scouts, and spent immeasurable hours helping others as a member of the South Amboy and Matawan First Aid Squads, as well as the Keyport Fire Department.  

Dan was a devout Christian and a long-time member of Jesus the Lord Catholic Church in Keyport, NJ.  When his Pastor asked if he was interested in pursuing a role in the ministry as a Deacon, he gladly accepted.  After five years of study, he was ordained a Deacon in the Diocese of Trenton in 2002.  

After retiring from J&J, Dan and his wife Nancy moved to Summerville, SC.  He found a new favorite hobby playing bocce, and joined a number of social groups including the Cane Bay Veterans Club and the Knights of Columbus.  He enjoyed working on and driving his 1960 Chevrolet Impala, a car he began restoring in 1992.  You could often find him at car shows, talking with friends about the good old days and admiring the cars and work of others.  He also continued his service as a Deacon at Immaculate Conception Church in Goose Creek where he conducted weekly Bible study classes, led prayer services and assisted at Mass.  Most recently, he was instrumental in the founding and organization of the new St. Francis Caracciolo Mission Church in Cane Bay.  

But what brought the most joy to Dan’s life was spending time with family, especially his nine grandchildren.  He loved watching them play sports and could often be found at the football or soccer fields cheering them on.  He loved the Christmas season, model trains and Hallmark movies and sharing all of those with his family.  

Besides his parents, Daniel is preceded in death by his older brother Thomas, as well as his loving mother-in-law and father-in-law Helen and John Yuschak.

His memory will be cherished and kept alive by his loving wife of 61 years, Nancy Yuschak McNerny; daughter Christine Phillips and her husband William; daughter Cynthia Stacey and her husband Paul; son James McNerny and his wife Nicole; and grandchildren Ryan, Katherine, Evan, Aidan, Emma, Madison, Ethan, Ava and Olivia.   

The family will receive friends on Monday, August 28th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, Goose Creek.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11am on Tuesday, August 29th at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 510 Saint James Avenue, Goose Creek, SC 29445.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Francis Caracciolo Mission Church Building Fund, care of: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 510 Saint James Avenue, Goose Creek, SC 29445-2793. 

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at mcalister-smith.com.