John C. Kane
...retired Tewksbury D.P.W. Asst. Superintendent; 73
TEWKSBURY - John C. Kane, age 73, best known for his lifelong love for the Town ofTewksbury, died Thursday evening, Oct. 16, at the Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington,after a courageous 3 year battle with cancer. He was the husband of Mary A. (Donovan) Kane,with whom he would have celebrated a 48th wedding anniversary on Nov. 19th.
He was born in Billerica, Dec. 28, 1929, a son of the late Francis and Margaret (Mahoney) Kane. He was a lifelong resident of Tewksbury, and had graduated Tewksbury High School in 1948. Hewas active in high school sports, and was co-captain of the 1947 football team.
During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Army occupation forces in Germany.
He served the town for more than 41 years, and had worked tirelessly to shape the highwaydepartment into the multi-departmental Department of Public Works that currently exists. Heretired in 1996, as Assistant Superintendent of the D.P.W. He was an extraordinarily talentedstone and brick mason. Mr. Kane’ efforts and projects abound in the town and include thebrickwork around the rebuilt bandstand on the Common in Tewksbury Center, as well as theramps for handicapped accessability at Town Hall. He was also responsible for the program thatmemorialized the town Veteran’s Squares, by erecting permanent brick structures at each site. He also helped found the Youth Figure Skating Program in Tewksbury, and consulted with otherarea towns in modeling their skating programs.
Mr. Kane was an officer and member of the Board of Directors of the Tewksbury MunicipalEmployees Credit Union, a member of the Board of Directors for the Tewksbury CemeteryCorporation, a former Tewksbury Call-Volunteer Firefighter, a member of the Friends of Tewksbury Library, a member of the Friends of Tewksbury Hospital, a member of the TewksburyHomecoming Committee, a contributor and installation/construction supervisor for the Kaufmannstatues “Indian” in Wamesit and “Firemen” in South Tewksbury, a co-founder and member of theTewksbury High School Sports Hall of Fame Committee, a member of the Irish American Clubin Billerica, and a member of the Tewksbury V.F.W. Post 8164.
He was a lifelong communicant of St. William’s Church, and worked at the church during theconstruction of the church. His landscaping efforts at the church remain today. He was a lifelongsupporter of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, order of priests and religious missionaries.
Besides his wife, he is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Kathleen M. and Barry J.Sullivan of Andover, Karen M. and Shaun Morrill of Tyngsboro, Margaret M. and TimothyMorrill of Plaistow, NH; ten grandchildren, Christine, Bobby, John and Shannon Sullivan,Meghan, Timothy, Colleen, Kara, James and Mary Kate Morrill; one sister, Margaret “Peggy”Roper of Tewksbury; two sisters-in-law, Mary E. (Cheetham) Kane of Tewksbury, Winifred(Flanagan) Kane of Rutland, VT; lifelong friends, Kenneth “Bunky” Holden of Tewksbury,Frederick “Tex” Johnston of Westford; numerous brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was also brother of the late Joseph Kane, Charles Kane, James Kane, William Kane, andbrother-in-law of the late James Roper.
His Funeral Mass was held Monday, Oct. 20, in the Chapel at the Oblate Infirmary, in Tewksbury. Interment with Army Honors followed atTewksbury Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Oblate Father’s Infirmary Fund, P.O.Box 419, Tewksbury, MA 01876, will be appreciated.