Deacon Henry R. Seppanen of Cherry Hill died Sunday, April 15. He was 86.
Deacon Seppanen was ordained for the Diocese of Camden on Oct. 4, 1980 by Bishop George H. Guilfoyle. He was assigned to Holy Name Parish in Camden and served on the chaplain’s team at Camden County Prison and the pastoral care office of Cooper Hospital in Camden. He was later assigned to Christ the King Parish in Haddonfield.
Deacon Seppanen and his wife Suzanne (nee Rubin), who worked for the Diocese of Camden in the 1970s, worked together on Marriage Encounter, Cursillo, choir and religious education ministries.
Deacon Seppanen was born in Boston and served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. He and Sue married in 1946. Both were adult converts to the Catholic faith. They had six children and lived on Long Island where Deacon Seppanen worked as an engineer for Republic Aviation.
In 1972, the family moved to South Jersey and Deacon Seppanen worked as an engineering manager for RCA in Moorestown. He undertook studies in counseling.
In 1994, Deacon Seppanen and Sue moved to Florida and he was accepted for diaconate service in the Diocese of Palm Beach. He was assigned to St. Joan of Arc Parish in Boca Raton and worked as a marriage and family therapist until his recent retirement and return to the Cherry Hill area.
Deacon Seppanen was the father of Christine of Florida; Peter of Long Island, N.Y.; Lawrence (Rosie) of Virginia; Nancy of Cherry Hill; Vincent (Terry) of Audubon; Sally (William) of Washington, D.C. and Coco. He was grandfather of Chrissy, Andrew, Lauren, Jim, Matt, Melissa, Katie, Dennis, John, Dan, Shawn, Keith, Sophia and Jack and great grandfather of CJ, Chey and Haylee.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. on Friday, April 20, in St. Thomas More Church, Cherry Hill. Interment Harleigh Cemetery, Camden.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to St. Thomas More RC Church. Visit www.schetterfh.com to share condolences with the family.