…retired Tewksbury Police Lieutenant; 74
TEWKSBURY - Lieutenant Warren R. Layne, age 74, a well known and beloved member of the Tewksbury community, died peacefully in the care of his family and hospice at his Tewksbury home Friday morning, October 26, after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was the beloved husband and best friend Lindalee T. (Symonds)(O’Connor) Layne, with whom he had celebrated a forty-second wedding anniversary this past October 15th.
He was born at the Chelsea Navy Hospital in March, 1944, a son of the late Warren W. and Elizabeth (Mackey) Layne, but lived the greater part of his life in Tewksbury. After graduating Tewksbury Memorial High School in 1961, he enlisted into the U.S. Air Force, where he served from 1962 until 1966. He was stationed in Alaska during the 1964 earthquake, the historic 9.2 scale quake and tsunami, and broke his leg in the nighttime escape for his life.
Warren began his distinguished career with the Tewksbury Police as an Auxiliary Officer in 1967 and graduated from the Bloomberg Police Training Academy in 1968. He became a Patrolman in 1970, was promoted to Sergeant in 1982, and promoted to Lieutenant in 1986. Warren retired from the force in August 1999. He also earned an Associates Degree from Northern Essex Community College. After his retirement, he was hired by Omnus Security, and worked in Bedford and Cambridge, where he led the private security force. He also worked as a professional assistant at the Tewksbury Funeral Home for two decades.
Warren was a devoted Communicant of St. William’s Parish, was a Caller at the Friday Night Bingo as a forty-year member of the St. William’s Men’s Club, and Life-Member of the Fr. Coppen’s Council, Knights of Columbus in Tewksbury. He also served the Town of Tewksbury as Town Meeting Moderator from 2008 to 2011, as an Election Polling Warden, and was a member of the Council On Ageing from 2004 until 2014.
Warren’s sense of humor, dry wit, quick smile, and genuinely friendly demeanor will be cherished forever by those who knew him.
Warren’s professional associations include the Massachusetts Police Association and the Massachusetts Retired State, County, and Municipal Employees Association.
Besides his beloved Lindalee, he leaves three sons, Kenneth W. Layne and his wife Jennifer (Padden) of Dracut, and Keith R. Layne and his wife Bethany (Dowell) of Derry, NH, and Frederick O’Connor and his wife Lisa (Robbins) of Groveland; five grandchildren, Brynn Layne, Kaden Layne, Kiley Layne, Christian O’Connor and Brendan O’Connor; a sister, Cheryl Accardi and her husband Anthony of Wells, ME; a brother Richard Layne and his wife Christine (Surette) of Pepperell; two sisters-in-law, Deborah (Maguire) Layne and Yong Ae Layne both of Tewksbury; many nieces and nephews, and was predeceased by his brother, former Tewksbury Deputy Police Chief, William D. Layne.
Visiting hours Friday, Nov. 2, from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. in the Tewksbury Funeral Home, corner of 1 Dewey and 975 Main Sts. (Rte. 38) TEWKSBURY CENTER, Ph. (800 in MA or 978) 851 2950. His funeral will begin Saturday, Nov. 3, at 9:00 from the funeral home, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 in St. William’s Church, 1351 Main St. (Rte. 38) Tewksbury. Burial with Air Force Honors will be in Tewksbury Cemetery. Memorials to St. William’s Church, Building Fund, 1351 Main St. Tewksbury, MA 01876, or Tewksbury Community Pantry, 999 Whipple Rd., Tewksbury, MA 01876 or “Warren’s Warriors” for Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 200 SE 1st St., Miami, FL 33131 or: www.facebook.com/donate/753766171623329/ visit: tewksburyfuneralhome.com