Obituary for Joseph M Bredehoft
Joseph M. Bredehoft, Esq.
May 27, 1951 – May 8, 2023
Joseph Michael Bredehoft, Esq., of Monmouth Beach, New Jersey, a loving husband, father, and grandfather; dedicated public servant; decorated veteran; and generous friend; died after a recent battle with cancer.
Born and raised in Jersey City, Joseph attended St. Peter’s Prep, received his bachelor’s degree from Saint Peter’s University, and his Juris Doctorate from Touro Law School at the State University of New York. He enjoyed a long career as a criminal investigator and Special Agent with state and federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms; New Jersey State Division of Criminal Justice; U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General; and the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation, from which he retired in 2021. He joined the Naval Criminal Investigative Services as a Navy Reservist in 1986 and spent 25 years on active and reserve duty, including specializing in advance protection details, which brought him many adventures across the globe. He retired from the Navy with the rank of Commander.
Anyone who knew Joseph knew how much he enjoyed being in front of a courtroom or classroom. He served for many years as the Assistant Municipal Prosecutor in Union Beach and taught in a variety of capacities over the years, including juvenile justice courses and moot court, as a marksman and firearms instructor, and most recently as an adjunct professor at Monmouth University.
Joseph engaged in many volunteer activities throughout his life, including as a firefighter and President of the Holmdel Township Fire Department, with which he served while living in Holmdel with his family for nearly twenty years. He was also a fixture at Holmdel Public Schools’ annual Career Days for many years, teaching young students about opportunities in law enforcement with displays and demonstrations of everything from polygraph machines to bomb-detecting robots. He actively supported his older daughter and wife’s interest in horses and fox hunting by deftly wielding the chainsaw and weedwhacker on many summertime trail-clearing parties. He enthusiastically served as an incognito gymnastics coach, private chauffeur around the Jersey Shore, and career advocate for his younger daughter. He was the proud baby bottle washer, ice cream proponent, top-of-the line toy supplier and an overall cheerleader for his grandchildren. He enjoyed being by or on the water as a former resident of Bay Head and boat enthusiast. He was an active member of VFW Post 2179, including serving as Judge Advocate. In recent years, he used his expertise as an attorney to assist military veterans obtain disability benefits after their initial applications were denied, including securing benefits all the way back to the time of service for a World War II veteran.
Joseph leaves behind Susan, his wife of 48 years; daughters Jennifer Bredehoft and Jamie Jenkins, and son-in-law Dave Jenkins; grandchildren David, James, & Juliette, who lovingly called him “Big Guy;” his sister Sr. Dorothy Bredehoft; and family dog Sammy. He was pre-deceased by his parents Edward and Ann (Quinlan) Bredehoft and brothers Edward Bredehoft and James Bredehoft. An initially reluctant animal lover, he often said he wanted to come back someday as one of the family dogs, and was surely met at the Rainbow Bridge by dogs Gibson, Essie, Chloe, and Brutus, and horses Dinero, Charles, Dutch, and Ony.
Joseph loved telling stories of his days working undercover and around the world, usually humorous and often repeated. He loved teasing Susan about her love of shopping through QVC, but enjoyed his own Amazon shopping habit. He always wanted his family to have the best of whatever they wanted, while he often left his own new clothes unworn in his closet, preferring his old, comfortable favorites. He imparted many nuggets of wisdom to those around him, especially his wife and daughters, with his favorite being:
Good, better, best,
Never let it rest,
Until your good is better and your better is best.
What’s worth doing at all is worth doing well.
Relatives and friends are invited to visit from 5-8pm Monday May 15th at Fiore Funeral Home, 882 Broadway in West Long Branch. Funeral Mass will be offered at 10:30am Tuesday at St. Dorothea’s Roman Catholic Church, in Eatontown. A private interment at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery will be held at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to:
VFW Post 2179, 1 Veterans Lane, Port Monmouth, NJ 07758
St. Joseph’s Villa, 110 W. Wissahickon Ave, Flourtown, PA 19031
May 27, 1951 – May 8, 2023
Joseph Michael Bredehoft, Esq., of Monmouth Beach, New Jersey, a loving husband, father, and grandfather; dedicated public servant; decorated veteran; and generous friend; died after a recent battle with cancer.
Born and raised in Jersey City, Joseph attended St. Peter’s Prep, received his bachelor’s degree from Saint Peter’s University, and his Juris Doctorate from Touro Law School at the State University of New York. He enjoyed a long career as a criminal investigator and Special Agent with state and federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms; New Jersey State Division of Criminal Justice; U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General; and the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation, from which he retired in 2021. He joined the Naval Criminal Investigative Services as a Navy Reservist in 1986 and spent 25 years on active and reserve duty, including specializing in advance protection details, which brought him many adventures across the globe. He retired from the Navy with the rank of Commander.
Anyone who knew Joseph knew how much he enjoyed being in front of a courtroom or classroom. He served for many years as the Assistant Municipal Prosecutor in Union Beach and taught in a variety of capacities over the years, including juvenile justice courses and moot court, as a marksman and firearms instructor, and most recently as an adjunct professor at Monmouth University.
Joseph engaged in many volunteer activities throughout his life, including as a firefighter and President of the Holmdel Township Fire Department, with which he served while living in Holmdel with his family for nearly twenty years. He was also a fixture at Holmdel Public Schools’ annual Career Days for many years, teaching young students about opportunities in law enforcement with displays and demonstrations of everything from polygraph machines to bomb-detecting robots. He actively supported his older daughter and wife’s interest in horses and fox hunting by deftly wielding the chainsaw and weedwhacker on many summertime trail-clearing parties. He enthusiastically served as an incognito gymnastics coach, private chauffeur around the Jersey Shore, and career advocate for his younger daughter. He was the proud baby bottle washer, ice cream proponent, top-of-the line toy supplier and an overall cheerleader for his grandchildren. He enjoyed being by or on the water as a former resident of Bay Head and boat enthusiast. He was an active member of VFW Post 2179, including serving as Judge Advocate. In recent years, he used his expertise as an attorney to assist military veterans obtain disability benefits after their initial applications were denied, including securing benefits all the way back to the time of service for a World War II veteran.
Joseph leaves behind Susan, his wife of 48 years; daughters Jennifer Bredehoft and Jamie Jenkins, and son-in-law Dave Jenkins; grandchildren David, James, & Juliette, who lovingly called him “Big Guy;” his sister Sr. Dorothy Bredehoft; and family dog Sammy. He was pre-deceased by his parents Edward and Ann (Quinlan) Bredehoft and brothers Edward Bredehoft and James Bredehoft. An initially reluctant animal lover, he often said he wanted to come back someday as one of the family dogs, and was surely met at the Rainbow Bridge by dogs Gibson, Essie, Chloe, and Brutus, and horses Dinero, Charles, Dutch, and Ony.
Joseph loved telling stories of his days working undercover and around the world, usually humorous and often repeated. He loved teasing Susan about her love of shopping through QVC, but enjoyed his own Amazon shopping habit. He always wanted his family to have the best of whatever they wanted, while he often left his own new clothes unworn in his closet, preferring his old, comfortable favorites. He imparted many nuggets of wisdom to those around him, especially his wife and daughters, with his favorite being:
Good, better, best,
Never let it rest,
Until your good is better and your better is best.
What’s worth doing at all is worth doing well.
Relatives and friends are invited to visit from 5-8pm Monday May 15th at Fiore Funeral Home, 882 Broadway in West Long Branch. Funeral Mass will be offered at 10:30am Tuesday at St. Dorothea’s Roman Catholic Church, in Eatontown. A private interment at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery will be held at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to:
VFW Post 2179, 1 Veterans Lane, Port Monmouth, NJ 07758
St. Joseph’s Villa, 110 W. Wissahickon Ave, Flourtown, PA 19031