John W. Harney, age 77, a lifelong resident of Woburn, passed away on January 13, 2025 at Lahey Clinic Hospital.
Born in Woburn, John was the son of the late John E. and Helen A. (Carroll) Harney. He was raised and educated in Woburn and was a graduate of Woburn High School. After high school he attended the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy where he received his Master’s in Pharmacy and worked for many years in thyroid research at Brigham & Women’s Hospital.
Following a car accident when he was 17, John was paralyzed from the waist down and remained wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life. In spite of his injuries, John excelled academically and maintained a positive attitude and an active lifestyle.
A former colleague at Tufts University Department of Anatomy, where he once worked as a lab technician, remembers him as a bit of a workaholic who was an avid reader of everything science, worked long hours and wrote many scientific papers for some of the most well- known science journals.
He was an avid stamp and coin collector and was interested in pharmaceutical development and engineering. In his spare time, he could also be found downhill skiing or dancing in his wheelchair, feats which amazed his friends. John loved to go fast, so he had skis made that were appropriate for his disability, and for several years, he would go out skiing with a few close friends from Tufts no matter how cold the weather. His favorite music was Swing music and he would even get out on the dance floor with his wheelchair and move to the music.
John also loved fishing. It didn't matter whether he caught any fish or not, he just enjoyed sitting by the lake and taking in the peace and quiet. A talented photographer, he often photographed the beautiful nature scenes of mountains in New Hampshire and the New England Coast.
He loved going out to a nice restaurant after a long meandering drive on a Sunday afternoon, along the coast up to Gloucester. He would try out different seafood restaurants until he could find a favorite. He also spent many hours on the weekends and evenings watching baseball, football, and, to feed his fascination with fast cars, he tuned in to auction auto shows, like “Barrett-Jackson”, where older models of fast cars were sold.
John was incredibly smart, thoughtful, and cared deeply about his closest friends, colleagues and neighbors. He will be missed.
A Funeral Service will be held in the Costello Funeral Home, 177 Washington St., Winchester on Saturday, January 18 at 11:00 AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Winchester.
Born in Woburn, John was the son of the late John E. and Helen A. (Carroll) Harney. He was raised and educated in Woburn and was a graduate of Woburn High School. After high school he attended the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy where he received his Master’s in Pharmacy and worked for many years in thyroid research at Brigham & Women’s Hospital.
Following a car accident when he was 17, John was paralyzed from the waist down and remained wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life. In spite of his injuries, John excelled academically and maintained a positive attitude and an active lifestyle.
A former colleague at Tufts University Department of Anatomy, where he once worked as a lab technician, remembers him as a bit of a workaholic who was an avid reader of everything science, worked long hours and wrote many scientific papers for some of the most well- known science journals.
He was an avid stamp and coin collector and was interested in pharmaceutical development and engineering. In his spare time, he could also be found downhill skiing or dancing in his wheelchair, feats which amazed his friends. John loved to go fast, so he had skis made that were appropriate for his disability, and for several years, he would go out skiing with a few close friends from Tufts no matter how cold the weather. His favorite music was Swing music and he would even get out on the dance floor with his wheelchair and move to the music.
John also loved fishing. It didn't matter whether he caught any fish or not, he just enjoyed sitting by the lake and taking in the peace and quiet. A talented photographer, he often photographed the beautiful nature scenes of mountains in New Hampshire and the New England Coast.
He loved going out to a nice restaurant after a long meandering drive on a Sunday afternoon, along the coast up to Gloucester. He would try out different seafood restaurants until he could find a favorite. He also spent many hours on the weekends and evenings watching baseball, football, and, to feed his fascination with fast cars, he tuned in to auction auto shows, like “Barrett-Jackson”, where older models of fast cars were sold.
John was incredibly smart, thoughtful, and cared deeply about his closest friends, colleagues and neighbors. He will be missed.
A Funeral Service will be held in the Costello Funeral Home, 177 Washington St., Winchester on Saturday, January 18 at 11:00 AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Winchester.
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