Father Michael J. German

Father Michael "Mickey" J. German entered eternal life on May 12th, 2025, he was 82. Fr. Mickey was born on January 31st, 1943 in Passaic, NJ, to Michael J. and Mary Ann "Matash" German. He was raised in East Rutherford and attended The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Grammar School and attended Pope Pius XII Catholic High School which led him down the path of entering a life of Religious Service. He continued his education at Seton Hall University, and then entered the Immaculate Conception Seminary at Darlington (Mahwah), NJ. He graduated from the Seminary and was ordained on May 25th, 1968 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral Basilica in Newark. He celebrated his first Solemn Mass on May 26th, 1968, at the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Wallington. He later completed a Master's in Divinity. His first assignment was at St. Joseph's Parish as the Parochial Vicar in Bayonne. He was the Chaplain at Bayonne Hospital from 1970 - 1972 and the Chaplain of (Bergen Pines, later Bergen Regional Medical Center) from 1972 - 1991. He became the Pastor of Holy Family Parish in Linden, NJ, from 1991 - 1994. He took a Sabbatical in June of 1994 until January of 1995, where he took educational classes at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy. Upon his return, he took the assignment of Parochial Vicar for St. Peter the Apostle Parish in River Edge from 1995 to 2013. Fr. Mickey was also a weekend assistant at Church of the Nativity in Midland Park, NJ, and would often assist at St. Mary's in Rutherford. He could often be found traveling the seas, working as Chaplin for over 100 different cruises, throughout his ministry. In 2013 he became the Director of St. John Vianney Residence in Rutherford, NJ, where he also resided until September of 2023. At that time he moved to Succasunna to take residence at Merry Heart Assisted Living, where he lived until his passing. Fr. Mickey enjoyed traveling, and he would often take his nephew Richard, introducing him to new foods and culture. He could also be found enjoying the theatre and many of the small theatrical venues, throughout New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvannia. Fr. Mickey was predeceased by his brother Richard in 2024 and his wife Betty in 2025, who spent many years assisting Fr. Mickey with his domestic needs. He was also predeceased by his brother in laws, James Cressen and Robert Nadler, his nieces Lynn Marie Cressen-Pardo, and Dr. Christine M. German. He is survived by his sisters Ruth Cressen and Carol Nadler, and his nieces and nephews, Heather Nadler, Nicole Nadler, Richard German, Robert Cressen, Robert Nadler. Visitation 4 - 8, Thursday, May 22nd, 2025 at Warner-Wozniak Funeral Service, 80 Midland Ave., Wallington, NJ. Father German, will lie in state, Friday, May 23rd, at St. Peter the Apostle Church, 445 Fifth Ave, River Edge, NJ 07661; 10:00 am - 10:45 am, and a funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am. Fr. German will be laid to rest at St. Mary's Cemetery, in his family plot, following the funeral Mass. www.WarnerAndWozniak.com