DONALD FRANCES CARRAHER 1929 - 2016
Donald Frances Carraher of Shrewsbury, MA, passed on at the age of 86 on Saturday, June 25th2016. He was born in New York City, NY to his parents Thomas J Carraher and Margaret (Elliot) Carraher. His survived family includes his wife Kathleen, (Callahan), his three children, Gerard, Michele and Michael as well as six grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
He completed his elementary and High School education in Flushing, New York. He went on to the Institution of Applied Arts and Sciences at the State University of New York where he earned a 2 year Electrical Technology diploma. During college, he enlisted in the Navy Reserve.
After graduating from college, Donald was self employed as a Radio and TV Repair Technician. With a 1-A Selective Service rating, no one would hire him. In 1950, he enlisted in the USN and did his Boot Camp and ET Training in NAVSTA Great Lakes, IL. He finished ET Training number 2 of 41 in his class.
His sea duty assignment was on the USS Chilton, APA-38 out of Norfolk, Virginia with operations in the Mediterranean. He served as an ET maintaining the comm. equipment required to coordinate the fleet activities during amphibious assaults.
After Don’s sea duty he finished out his Navy career on shore duty in Morocco, Africa as a Petty Officer 1st Class, responsible for installing RADAR and Missile Guidance Systems. In 1954, the USN’s participation in the Korean Conflict was waning and the USN was looking for volunteers to retire. He was honorably discharged in 1954 with recommendation to re-enlist, giving him a period of time to return to the USN at the same rank as he left.
He continued on as a RADAR and Missile Guidance Technician in the private sector with Sperry and GE. He started in the Bahamas, then Fairbanks and Anchorage AK. They were followed by stints in Seattle, WA; Portland, OR, and his very favorite location, Cheyenne, WY, where he met his wife, Kathleen. They married in Kathleen’s home town of Syracuse, NY in 1960. His last missile guidance installation was in Lompoc, CA.
He transferred within GE to the Computer Field Engineering Division, which had him moving everywhere including; Syracuse, NY; Oklahoma City, OK; Fort Poke, LA and Phoenix, AZ.
Honeywell purchased the Field Engineering Division from GE which settled him and his family in Hudson, MA in the year 1971, where he and Kathleen raised Gerard, Michele and Michael. He finished his career at Honeywell and took early retirement. To keep himself busy, he worked for Waters as an electronics engineer and machinist.
He shared his wisdom gained from his diverse life experiences with all four generations of family. Everyone he knew had heard every story at least once. His stories always had a different segue to hook one in, but always ended with a moral to it. Live by the “Golden Rule”.
The services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please donate in his name to:
Overlook VNA & Hospice
88 Masonic Home Rd
Charlton, MA 01507