Anthony “Juju” Paul Mucciaccio, Jr. of Dedham, January 1, 2025.
Born January 10, 1938 and died peacefully at the age of 86.
He was the son of the late Anthony and Rose Mucciaccio of Dedham and the brother of the late Robert P. Mucciaccio of Norton.
He is survived by his brothers and sisters in law William and Maureen Mucciaccio of Dedham, Maureen Mucciaccio of Norton, Thomas and Michelle Mucciaccio of Attleboro and Gerald and Melissa Mucciaccio of Holliston. He was blessed by many nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.
There was a special place in his heart for the late Eileen O’Neill and her family and Tracey White and her family.
He graduated from Dedham High School and Bentley College.
He was proud to have served his country as a Marine. And was especially proud of his two nephews Tom and Matthew who followed in his footsteps.
He spent nearly 30 years of his life devoting his time, energy and talents to serving the Town of Dedham as the Recreation Director. The Dedham pool is one of Juju’s most cherished places. After its closure in 1982 due to budget cuts, Juju spearheaded a nine-month campaign to save it. In 1996, it was fittingly renamed the Anthony P. Mucciaccio “Juju’s Place” Pool in his honor. In 1976, he founded the Dedham Clipper Swim Team, a group that became a second family to him and countless Dedham children. Since then, the pool has been a cornerstone of community life. Whether teaching swim lessons, officiating meets, or greeting visitors with his warm smile, Juju’s presence at the pool was constant and uplifting.
Through countless efforts Juju was instrumental in organizing and carrying on a beloved Dedham tradition in the Flag Day Parade, a cherished annual event. A proud Marine, he coordinated the parade with dedication and grit. Every year you could count on seeing him smiling and waving from the final parade truck.
Juju also played a vital role in Dedham Day, an event that brought the community together to create lasting memories for all ages. You would see him actively selling deeds sitting under a tent waving and greeting everyone who attended.
He, alongside his great friend Tom Polito, worked tirelessly for the Dedham High Boosters Organization for the High School Sports Program. He helped organize countless banquets to celebrate the athletes. He made huge efforts to raise money to assure scholarships would be awarded past his lifetime by spearheading the Dedham Boosters Concession Stand at Dedham High Football Games and Thursday night Bingo games where at one time 200 people would have attended.
His legacy lives on in the faces of all the children and families of Dedham who continue keeping with the traditions he worked so hard for and was so proud of.
Visiting hours will be held at the George F. Doherty & Sons Wilson-Cannon Funeral Home, 456 High St, Dedham on Thursday, Jan. 9 from 4:00-8:00pm. His funeral will be held from the funeral home on Friday, Jan. 10 at 9:00am followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Mary’s Church, Dedham at 10:00am. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Interment in Brookdale Cemetery, Dedham.
In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Dedham High Boosters Organization, 6 Allen Ln, Dedham, MA 02026