Funeral services were held on Monday, January 8, at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn for former New Jersey governor Brendan T. Byrne. Politicians from both sides of the aisle, including many former governors, attended the service, which lasted more than two hours. Governor Byrne died Thursday, January 4, in Livingston at the age of 93. Mr. Byrne’s son Brendan Jr. reportedly said his father had developed a lung infection and “was too weak to fight,” Following a dirge by a State Police piper and the playing of taps by a military honor guard, eulogies were presented by Governor Chris Christie, former governor Tom Kean, and the Archbishop of Newark, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, among others. Brendan Thomas Byrne was born on April 1, 1924, and grew up in West Orange. His father, Francis, was the city’s public safety commissioner and later president of the Essex County tax board. His mother was the former Genevieve Brennan. Mr. Byrne briefly attended Seton Hall University before enlisting in the Army Air Force during World War II. He served as a navigator on 51 European bombing missions, winning a Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals. He was graduated from Princeton University in 1949 and from Harvard Law School in 1951. In 1959, Governor Robert B. Meyner named Mr. Byrne as Essex County prosecutor. He was reappointed by Gov. Richard J. Hughes in 1964. Former Livingston Township attorney Barry Evenchick recalls that Mr. Byrne gave Evenchick his first job. "I first met Brendan in 1964 when I went to his home in West Orange for an interview to work as an assistant Essex County prosecutor." Mr. Byrne learned that Mr. Evenchick was a graduate of Millburn High School and Rutgers University, and the two chatted about coaches and teachers they knew. After the interview, Mr. Evenchick noted that they had not "talked law" at all. "It was an absolute joy and privilege to work for him," Mr. Evenchick recalled. "He was a very special person of total integrity and very kind… something unusual in a prosecutor. He always did the best and most honorable thing." Mr. Evenchick also worked for Mr. Byrne at the Public Utilities Commission. Mr. Byrne was named head of the PUC after nine years as prosecutor."It was amazing," Mr. Evenchick recalled. "He had no background in utilities, but he educated himself. He was a true New Jersey treasure." Many of ...
