Obituary of Edward A. Reissner

After living with pancreatic cancer for two years, Edward Adam Reissner died on October 21, 2015—just three days short of his 86th birthday. He was born in Newark, New Jersey to Louis and Mary (Wenzel) Reissner in 1929. Ed attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Newark and upon graduation he began studies toward ordination for Roman Catholic priesthood for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. After his ordination in 1955, he served in several parishes in the Trenton Diocese as well as in other diocesan positions. Ed continued his studies earning a Doctorate in Cannon Law at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and a Masters in Pastoral Counseling from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. In 1973, he became the founding pastor of Epiphany Parish in Brick, New Jersey where he served for eight years. Upon resigning from ordained ministry, Ed married Anne Campanella in November of 1981. They had worked together at Epiphany Parish for seven years prior to their marriage. Ed's dedication to ministry and the service of others continued through his work at Hospice in Wayland, Massachusetts and then, after moving to Milwaukee, WI with the Pastoral Care Team of the Sisters of St. Francis. While living in Milwaukee, Ed completed several units of Clinical Pastoral Education and was certified as a Lay Catholic Chaplain by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. When Anne accepted a position with the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers whose headquarter is in Ossining, NY, they relocated and Ed began working as a Lay Catholic Chaplain at Calvary Hospital, a two hundred bed palliative care facility in the Bronx, New York. He served on the Pastoral Care Team there until retirement eleven years later. In 2007, Ed and Anne and their shih tzu, Zeheb, moved to Tucson, Arizona. As a member of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Tucson, Ed served as a Bereavement Minister, as a Minister of Care for the homebound, and in ministry of outreach to the homeless. Ed is survived by his wife, Anne; his sister and brother-in-law, Florence and James Carton of Highlands, New Jersey and their daughter Eileen Carton also of Highlands; his sister-in-law Edna Greene and her husband Thomas of Tucson; his sister-in-law, Marie McLaughlin and her partner, William Koutrouba of Plymouth, Massachusetts; and numerous nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Eleanor. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, Box 862, Ossining, NY 10562 or Poverello House, Box 50782, Tucson, AZ 85705.