John E. Connaughton, age 66, of Brighton, formerly of Jamaica Plain, Mansfield and California, passed away peacefully after a courageous battle with cancer on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
Born in Boston on July 6, 1959, he was the beloved son of the late Paul E. and Lorraine E. (Dustin) Connaughton.
John grew up in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. He was a graduate of Catholic Memorial High School. John was a member of the Telephone Workers Union, working as a lineman for Verizon for the majority of his working career.
John loved the outdoors. He enjoyed biking, swimming, jogging, yoga, boxing at the L Street Gym and bike rides around Castle Island. He always appreciated the quiet serenity of the beach.
In recent years, John found true peace and contentment in Brighton, where he embraced a healthy, active lifestyle. He deeply loved this community, finding joy in spending time with his new friends and enjoying long walks and bike rides around the city. He was grateful for the many new friendships and caring neighbors he found in Brighton. He also found so much peace in AA, as it became a huge part of his life.
John was the loving father of Alyssa Connaughton of Minneapolis, Minnesota, whom he adored and was so proud of. He was the dear brother of Paul M. Connaughton and his wife Catherine of Mansfield; Lori Powell and her husband George of Londonderry, NH; and James Connaughton and his wife Ranee of Norton. He was the cherished uncle of PJ, Bobby, Shaun, Ryan, Matthew, Joe, Kristina, Jimmy, Reily, Liam, and Lily. He is also survived by his former wife, Yolanda Connaughton, whom he met while residing in California.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend visiting hours on Saturday, April 18th, from 9:00–10:30 A.M. at the Sherman & Jackson Funeral Home, 55 North Main Street, Mansfield.
A funeral service will follow at the conclusion of visitation at 10:30 A.M. in the funeral home. Burial will follow at Saint Joseph Cemetery in West Roxbury.
To send his family a message of condolence, please visit www.shermanjackson.com