BEVERLY: John E. Kelleher, Sr., 94, died Sunday, July 27, 2014 in the Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington following a brief illness. He was the loving husband of the late Eleanor G. (Marshall) Kelleher who died in 1992.
Born in Somerville on July 31, 1919, he was the son of the late Henry and Katherine (Crowley) Kelleher. He was a graduate of Beverly High School class of 1937 and has resided in Beverly most of his life.
John was employed as a supervisor for White Fuel Company in Boston for over thirty years before his retirement in the mid 1970’s. A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he was honorably discharged in January 1946. He was a longtime communicant of St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in Beverly and was an avid Boston Red Sox and Bruins fan. He enjoyed bowling, swimming and loved to spend time with his family and an occasional scotch. His family and friends always knew him to be a gentle man, kind, caring and loving. He never had an off remark or bad comment towards anyone.
He is survived by his three sons, John E. Kelleher, Jr. and his wife, Lois (McRae) of Amesbury, William H. Kelleher and his wife, Suzanne (Cool) of Beverly and David T. Kelleher of Imperial Beach, CA; twelve grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; son-in-law, Dr. Raul Martinez of Edinburg, TX; sister-in-law, Barbara (Brown) Kelleher of Hixson, TN and many nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by his daughter, Susan K. Martinez, daughter-in-law, Alice V. Kelleher, a sister, Catherine MacQuarrie and two brothers, Daniel and Raymond Kelleher.
His funeral service will be held on Saturday in the Grondin Funeral Home, 376 Cabot Street, Beverly at 10 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Friday from 5 – 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. Interment will be held in Beverly Farms Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to The Jimmy Fund c/o Dana Faber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th Fl., Brookline, MA 02445-7226.