Obituary of Terrence Kent McMahon

Terrence Kent McMahon, 82, passed away peacefully on February 17, 2018 at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, NJ after a long battle with cancer.  Terrence was born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 24, 1935 to Thomas and Alice (Hahn) McMahon.  In 1936, he traveled by train to NJ as his father was tasked to start up a new Titanium Dioxide pigment plant in Sayreville for National Lead Co.  The family moved to Plainfield in July 1940.  Terrence is the oldest of 4 siblings and has 2 sisters (Carol and Kathie) and 1 brother (Kevin).  He made many lasting friendships during his time in Plainfield.  The family sailed for Bremerhaven, Germany in July 1952 when his father was transferred and he ended up completing high school at Le Rosey in Switzerland.  After spending the summer with his grandparents in St. Louis and working at National Lead, he began MIT.  He graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering in June 1957.  He then attended Yale and received a Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1960 and Doctors Degree in 1962.  He went on to work for IBM including developing new technology for industrial control and automation.  He was recognized by the Instrument Society of America (ISA) in the early 1990s as a Pioneer in the practice of computerized industrial automation.  In July 1968 he launched McMahon Technology Associates and was looking forward to celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer.  He made a life-altering move to Ridgefield Park in June 1969 where he met Rosemary Andersen.  Terrence and Rosemary were married in Holy Trinity Church in Fort Lee in 1973.  They moved to Leonia in November 1976 where they raised their 3 children, Timothy, Kerry and Alexander.  They spent every summer vacation on the Jersey Shore in Lavallette making lasting memories. Terrence and Rosemary became parishioners at St. John the Evangelist parish in Leonia in 1977 where Terrence also served as Lector for many years.  The 1980s were his decade of public service where he served on the Leonia Borough Council, Leonia's Borough Planning Board and the Leonia Board of Education.  In spring 1992, he became a columnist in Control Magazine (a leading trade publication in the industrial control field).  His column "Around the Loop" ran for almost 14 years and allowed Terrence to expound on many issues.  In 2007, he began a quarterly column in Chemical Engineering Progress and retired, with some reluctance, from active journalism in 2015.

Terrence was predeceased by his parents Thomas and Alice (Hahn) McMahon.  He is survived by his wife Rosemary (Andersen), his eldest son Timothy, his youngest son Alexander (and his wife Lindsay), his daughter Kerry, his grandsons Richard and Logan and his granddaughters Amalia and Rose, and his sisters Carol Ehnat and Kathie (and her husband Rick) Walker and his brother Kevin (and his wife Kate) McMahon.

The family will receive their friends onThursday 4 - 8 pm at the Frank A. Patti and Kenneth Mikatarian Funeral Home, 327 Main Street "opposite the Fort Lee Library". The celebration of his funeral mass in St. John R.C. Church will be Friday at 10 am. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.

Rest in peace.

For condolences, directions, or information (201) 944-0100 or www.frankpatti.com