Following is the obituary for JOHN JAMES HANLEY, submitted for the family by the Harding Funeral Home.

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John James “Handles” Hanley passed away peacefully on Sept. 3, 2022, surrounded by his loving family.  

John was a loving son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend. 

He was born on April 15, 1991, in Norwalk to Terry and Dianne Hanley. He grew up in Shelton and moved to his parents’ hometown of Westport to fulfill his high school education. 

John grew up playing football for Shelton Pop Warner and spent his summers in Westport working with his father, playing in the dirt, learning how to run machines and, as he grew older, found his passion in operating machinery of all types. His skills landed him a job as a heavy equipment operator with Burns Construction. He took great pride in his work while becoming a member of the Heavy Equipment Operators Union, Local 478.  

John also loved spending time with his family on his father’s boat and hanging around Longshore. He was a diehard New York Giants fan and loved going to Giant stadium every year to watch his favorite team. 

He was very smart, loved to talk about history and world issues and never shied away from a good debate on matters about which he cared deeply. 

John was the most charismatic guy and would give anyone the shirt off his back. His smile and charm lit up the room. He was always the life of the party.  

John is predeceased by his grandparents, Vincent and Henrietta Hanley, and Martin Pugliese.  

His loving family and survivors include his mother, Dianne and stepfather Craig; his father, Terry and stepmother Marcy; sisters, Celeste, Noelle and Hailey; brother Shawn; brothers-in-law, Rene and Luis; nieces, Jocelyn, Eyda and Stella; his best friends, Jack and Matt; along with many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. 

The family will receive friends in the Harding Funeral Home, 210 Post Road East, on Thursday, Sept. 8, from 4 to 8 p.m. Friends are invited to attend a funeral on Friday, Sept. 9, at 10 a.m., meeting directly at Assumption Church 98 Riverside Ave., for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will follow in Assumption Cemetery, 73 Greens Farms Road.

Condolences for the family may be left online at www.hardingfuneral.com. Contributions in memory of John in lieu of flowers may be made to a charity of choice.