Frank Toohey, Jr of Bristol, Rhode Island and Fort Myers, Florida, beloved husband of the late Peggy Lindberg Harris Toohey, died on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at the age of 77 at Hope Hospice in Lehigh Acres, Florida following a brief illness. Frank, the oldest of the late Francis Daniel Toohey, Sr and Florence O’Neil Toohey’s five children, was born on October 6, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Gardner, Massachusetts.
Frank was a graduate of Cushing Academy and Brown University and served in the United States Army. He earned a degree in Art History from Brown in 1960 and pursued the emerging profession of computer programming and design. Frank worked for more than fifty years as a systems analyst and software designer for companies such as Alphanumeric in New York City, Morse Cutting Tools in New Bedford, MA, and Foamex in Providence, RI. He married Peggy Toohey in 1989.
In recent years, Frank had the opportunity to ‘give back’ to his communities in Rhode Island and Florida. In the process, he developed a series of extraordinary relationships by mentoring people of all ages as they worked to overcome adversity. He will be remembered by family and friends for his intellect, sense of humor, love of the sea, travel, reading, and art, and his unwavering support of the Red Sox and Patriots.
Frank is survived by his children Kathryn Whittel and husband Joe of West Hartford, CT, Frank Toohey, III of Scituate, MA and Martha Conneely and husband Mike of Wethersfield, CT, his step-children Beth Harris of Belleville, MI and Thomas Harris of Newport, RI, his sisters Mary-Elizabeth FitzGerald and husband Peter of Glens Falls, NY, Denise Toohey of Westport, MA and Dr. Caroline Cooper and husband Paul of Westport, MA, his brother Michael Toohey and wife Linda of Saratoga Springs, NY, his grandchildren Maggie, Austin, Daniel, Grace, Eamon and Marin, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and very dear friends.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 am on Saturday, November 7, 2015 at St. John the Baptist Church in Westport, MA. Friends are invited to join Frank’s family in the church hall after mass to share remembrances over a cup of coffee. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice.