Robert R. Quagan of West Roxbury, formerly of Lynn, Beverly, Wenham, Hamilton, Ipswich, and Newburyport, passed away at home on August 16, 2015 after a three-year battle with lung cancer.
Born in Saugus on April 9, 1958, Rob attended St. Pius X School in Lynn and St. Margaret School in Beverly Farms and graduated from Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School in 1976. After graduation, he enlisted in the US Air Force and served as a precision measuring equipment laboratory technician assigned to Scott Air Force Base in IL, and Nellis Air Force Base in NV. He received several honors, including multiple citations as Airman of the Month. He also attended the US Air Force Academy Preparatory School in Colorado Springs. He received several early promotions and was discharged with the rank of E-4 (Sergeant).
After discharge, Rob enrolled in the Rhode Island School of Design and received bachelor's degrees in Fine Arts and Architecture in 1985. During his career, he worked at several Boston architectural firms, including Rothman Rothman Heineman, Shepley Bulfinch Richardson Abbott; and Domenech Hicks Krockmalnic. He also worked in facilities design at AVCO Systems/Textron, HarvardNet/Hosting.com, Millipore, Bose, and the United States Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick. Since 2008, he had worked at West Roxbury Veterans Administration Hospital as a facilities Project Engineer.
An avid railfan, he was a member of the Boston and Maine Railroad Historical Society since 1975. In the 1970's, he did volunteer work with the Wolfeboro Railroad in New Hampshire, helping to maintain tracks and equipment and run steam engines. Rob was also a board member of the Salisbury Point Railroad Historical Society in Amesbury and a long-time volunteer at the Walker Transportation Collection of the Beverly Historical Society. Most recently, he was a member of the Hub Division of the National Model Railroad Association.
An ardent Catholic, he was an active member of the movement to promote the Extraordinary Form (traditional Latin) Mass in the Archdiocese of Boston. At Holy Trinity Church in Boston, he served as a member of the Parish Council and was instrumental in the revival of the parish Holy Name Society, serving several terms as its Vice President. In 2004 - 2005, he served as President of the Archdiocesan Union of Holy Name Societies. At the time of his death, he was a parishioner of Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Parish in Newton Upper Falls and of St. Paul Church, Harvard Square, Cambridge.
Rob is survived by his wife, Christine M. (Grady); his son, Arthur Thomas, both of West Roxbury; his father, Robert J. Quagan and his wife Gail of Nottingham, NH; and his mother, Joanne D. (Plourde) Gongas of Wakefield, NH. Rob is also survived by his siblings Ronald Celentano and his wife Sheila of Lorton, VA; Lisa Gurney and her husband Spencer of Onancock, VA; Richard Celentano and his wife Catalina of Nottingham, NH; Linda Simard and her husband Steven of Sandown, NH; Erica Irvine and her husband Robert of Groveland, MA; Jennifer Bonanno and her husband Peter of Ossining, NY; and Claudia Barrett and her husband James of Bedford, NH. Rob is also survived by his uncle Richard Plourde and aunts Claire Burke and Charline Pierce, all of Lynn, and by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
The funeral is from the William J. Gormley Funeral Home, 2055 Centre Street, WEST ROXBURY, Thursday, August 20th at 9:00 a.m. followed by Solemn High Requiem Mass (Extraordinary Form) at Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Church, 270 Elliot Street, Newton at 10:30 a.m. Visiting hours are Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. Interment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Needham. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Paul Choir School, 29 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215; or the Boston and Maine Railroad Historical Society, P.O. Box 469, Derry, NH 03038-0469.