CONNOLLY, John Andrew, age 80, of West Roxbury, MA (formerly of Mission Hill) passed away peacefully at Briarwood Rehabilitation Center in Needham, MA on July 23rd, 2019. He spent his final days surrounded by family. He is survived by his beloved family: his wife of 59 years, Catherine "Kay" (O'Connor) Connolly; his three children Jennifer Connolly, Claudia Connolly-Watson, and Marc Connolly; his son-in-law Donny Watson; the grandchildren he doted upon, Olivia Watson and Ashley Connolly; and his devoted nieces and nephew, Susan Whitehouse Deshler, Sandra McGunigle and James Whitehouse. John was born in Boston, MA on March 11, 1939 to the dearly departed Anna and John Connolly and grew up in the Mission Hill neighborhood with his sister, the late Ann Whitehouse of Quincy. He graduated from Bentley College in Waltham, MA with a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting and spent the majority of his career as Director of Finance at Kendall Healthcare. He also worked at Dresser/GE for many years, but when retirement didn’t prove challenging enough, he returned to work and finished out his career at PTC Software in Newton. John loved westerns, film noir, the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots, but he had no fondness for nitwits or communists. His first job, at Crest Brand Leather in Boston, imparted to him an important lesson he shared with all who would hear it: “use a shoehorn or you’ll ruin your shoes!” Funeral from the William J. Gormley Funeral Home 2055 Centre St. WEST ROXBURY, Monday, July 29th at 8:30am. followed by a Funeral Mass in The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help “Mission Church” at 10 o’clock. Visiting hours Sunday 4-7 p.m. Relatives and friends invited. Interment Mt. Benedict Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please crack open a cold Coors Light and pour one out for “the Duke”. For directions and guestbook www.gormleyfuneral.com.