John E. Kearney, Sr., 80 years, of Halifax, formerly of Brockton, died February 22, 2010 at his home surrounded by his family. He was the loving and devoted husband of 55 years to Carole L. (Mockus) Kearney. John was born in Brockton, July 4, 1929, son of the late Gerald P. and Ruth A. (Gorman) Kearney. He was a 1947 graduate of Coyle High School where he was Valedictorian; received his BA in English in 1951 from Boston College where he was the recipient of the Rev. Edward H. Finnegan Outstanding Graduate Award and in 1960 received his Master of Education in Guidance from Bridgewater State College. Mr. Kearney taught English at Middleboro, Weymouth and Randolph high schools from 1959 to 1965 and had a 27-year long career from 1965 to 1992 with the Mass. Dept. of Education where he served as Director of Regional Offices and Assistant to the Commissioner of Education. He was also the Chairman of the Mass. Teachers’ Retirement Board for fifteen years from 1977 to 1992 as well as President of the Mass. Assoc. for Contributory Retirement Systems from 1989 to 1991.
He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Carole and their twelve grandchildren and great granddaughter as well as taking his daily walks around the neighborhood. He loved reading, following New England sports, and traveling with his family. His favorite trips were to Disney World and the vacation weeks down the Cape. He was a devout Catholic who became very involved with the parishes of St. Edward’s in Brockton, St. Thecla’s in Pembroke and Our Lady of the Lake in Halifax. Some of the proudest moments of his career in education involved playing an active role in the integration of Boston schools in the early seventies and the implementation of kindergarten in public schools. After retirement he was chairman of the Halifax school committee as well as a member of the Silver Lake Regional school committee.
He is also survived by his children John E. Kearney, Jr. and his fiancé Beth Roberts both of Raynham, Karen L. Mahoney and her husband Paul of Sudbury, Kevin C. Kearney and his wife Maureen of Vernon, CT and Colleen A. Belcher and her husband Steve of Halifax; 12 grandchildren; one great granddaughter and was the brother of Thomas Kearney of East Bridgewater, Margaret Legge of Jacksonville, FL, Ruth Farley of Simsbury, CT, Brenda MacGillivray of Halifax, Gerald Kearney of Clinton Township, MI and the late Mary Powers and James Kearney.
Visiting Hours will be held in the Conley Funeral Home, 138 Belmont Street (Rte 123) Brockton, Thursday 4-8pm. Funeral Mass in Our Lady of the Lake Church, 580 Monponsett St, Halifax Friday at 9am. Burial in Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in John’s name to Old Colony Hospice, One Credit Union Way, Randolph, MA 02368 for online donations click here and/or the Pontifical Mission Societies, 70 West 36th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10018 for online donations click here