Obituary: Jeannine (Kelleher) Cox

Jeannine (Kelleher) Cox, a lifelong resident of Montclair, died peacefully on July 14, 2022, at her home. She was 58.

Mrs. Cox graduated from Montclair High School. With her husband, Jack, she happily built a life and raised her two daughters in the township.

As a young adult, she worked extensively in the travel industry. She started at a local agency and would later join Travelplex, followed by the American Express travel division. Her daughters loved hearing her stories about moving to California for a couple months to open a new office, and how she overcame her fear of public speaking.

She was working for Travelplex when she met her future husband, Jack, on a blind date. Their love for one another was palpable, and they were soon married. When her oldest daughter was born, she made the decision to commit her energies fully to building and supporting her family, and she became a self-proclaimed “domestic engineer.”

In the years since, Mrs. Cox became heavily involved in various PTA functions and environmental advocacy projects. She volunteered for Lamp for Haiti, where she loved to use her eye for design to help plan decorations at its annual galas. A sense of community was incredibly important to her, and many friends recall one of her greatest talents as her ability to connect with people and bring them together.   

Her family remembers her for her warmth, compassion, strength and grace in the face of adversity. She was an excellent wife, mom and chef, and believed in the power of sharing a home-cooked family meal with loved ones. 

Mrs. Cox is survived by her husband, Jack; her two daughters, Madison and Lauren; her parents, and her five siblings. 

Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 21, at Hugh M. Moriarty Funeral Home, 76 Park St.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation to Lamp for Haiti, lampforhaiti.org/giving.