PHILIP M. O'DONNELL SR.
PHILIP M. O'DONNELL, SR, a Funeral Director for over 60 years, died Friday Feb. 2, 2007 at Quincy Hospital after a brief illness. He was 85 years old. Born in South Boston, Mr. O'Donnell was a resident of Dorchester for most of his life. He became a licensed Funeral Director in 1946 at the Joseph V. O'Donnell and Son Funeral Homes in South Boston and Dorchester. He also operated the former Rice - O'Donnell Funeral Home in Rockland for a time. Mr. O'Donnell was a United States Navy Veteran of World War II where he served as a Corpsman in the South Pacific Theater. Following the war, he joined his father in the family business and also worked for a number of years for John Hancock Life Insurance Co. Mr. O'Donnell was a Past Commander of the Old Dorchester Post #60 of the American Legion, Past Grand Knight and life member of Redberry Council #117 K. of C. in Dorchester, a member of the Milton Post #114 of the American Legion, The Bishop Cheverus Assembly of the 4th Degree, K. of C., and a founding member of the former Montclair Men's Club in Quincy. For many years after the war, he organized and directed Minstrel and Variety Shows that entertained many people at Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Veteran's Homes. His final production was at St. Ann's Church in Neponset in the early 1970's. Mr O'Donnell was also active in many community and civic organizations including The Boston Blood Bank and The St. Gregory's School Parents Assoc. He was one of the founders of The Neponset Health Center as well as Redberry Credit Union in Neponset which later merged with Member's Plus Credit Union. Above all however, he was a devoted husband, father and family man. Husband of Edythe M. (McEntee), he is survived by his children; Philip M. O'Donnell, Jr. and his wife Ann of Mattapan, Elizabeth M. Labbe and her husband David of Dorchester, Judith A. Casale and her husband Walter of Rockland, Joseph V. O'Donnell and his wife Shelly of Rockland, Marylou Rundlett and her husband Dana of Milton and Susan M. Ryan of Milton. He was the Grandfather of 15 Grandchildren: Kevin and Philip O'Donnell, Christopher, Timothy, Jonathan and Mary Beth Labbe, Jaime, Jessica and Walter Casale, Joseph and Michael O'Donnell, D.J., Kristen and Jillian Rundlett and Jack Ryan. He was the Great Grandfather of Keegan Labbe. He was the brother of Helen M. Bradley of Dorchester, William H. O'Donnell, QPD Ret. of Quincy, John M. O'Donnell of Stoughton, Lawrence J. O'Donnell of Newark, DE and the late Margaret E. Fallon and Joseph V. O'Donnell. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday Feb. 6, 2007 at 11:00 A.M. in St. Gregory's Church, 2215 Dorchester Ave. Dorchester, MA. Interment will follow at The Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Visiting Hours on Monday 4 - 8 P.M. in the O'Donnell & Mulry Funeral Home, 138 Neponset Ave., Dorchester, MA. Donations in Phil's memory may be made to Camp Joy, c/o of the City of Boston Center for Youth and Families, 1483 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02120.