Hilary O. McMahon
...retired Lt. Tewksbury Fire Dept.; 82
TEWKSBURY - Hilary O. McMahon, 82, a retired Tewksbury Fire Department Lt., diedThursday afternoon, April 25. He was the husband of Dorothy M. (Healy) McMahon, withwhom he had celebrated a 60th wedding anniversary this past February 26th.
He was born in Eastport, Maine, August 24, 1919, a son of the late Oscar and Elizabeth (Dixon)McMahon. He was raised in Brookline, attended St. Aiden’s High School and NortheasternUniversity. He lived in Dorchester before moving to Tewksbury in 1954.
In his earlier years, he was a member of the historic Civil Conservation Corps and workedthroughout New England. During WWII, he enlisted into the U.S. Army. After attending OCShe was commissioned as a First Lieutenant served in the European Theater. He participated inmany campaigns and battles including the invasion of Normandy. He earned a Bronze Star withOak Clusters and was awarded two Purple Hearts.
He began his 28 year career with the Tewksbury Fire Department as a Call Firefighter. He wasappointed as a member of the first group of permanent Firefighters on April 6, 1959, andappointed Lieutenant in January 1977. He retired from active fire service on April 3, 1982. Hewas also instrumental in the unionization of the fire department, and held membership in the Local1647, IAFF firefighters union.
He was an active member of St. William’s Parish, as an usher, a member of the Holy NameSociety, and cook at the many communion breakfasts at the church. He was also a member of theFr. Coppen’s Council, K of C, 4336 in Tewksbury. He was active in the Boy Scouts of Americaas Troop Leader.
Besides his wife he is survived by five daughters and sons-in-law, Dorothy and Denis Sintiris ofLowell, Barbara and Jon Wintermeyer of Walnut Creek, CA., Jeanne and David Blackstone ofTewksbury, Susan and Jeffrey Bernhard of Wakefield, Christine and Kenneth Pyzluka of Clinton,two sons and a daughter-in-law, Paul McMahon of Falmouth, and John “Jack” and Janet (Collins)McMahon of North Conway, NH, 15 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, a brother and sister-in-law, James and Doris McMahon of Spring, TX.He was also brother of the late Alice Lewien, Bernard McMahon and Robert McMahon.
His Funeral Mass was held Monday, April 29, in St. William’s Church, Tewksbury. Interment was in Tewksbury Cemetery.
Memorials to the Parkinson’s DiseaseFoundation, Wm Black Medical Bldg., Columbia-Presbyterian med. Ctr., 710 West 168th St., NY,NY 10032-9982