Judge Joseph D. Clancy passed away on April 9, 2012 at the age of 85 years. He was born in Lynn, MA on July 12, 1926, son of Former State Senator and Attorney Joseph B. Clancy and Helen (Daly) Clancy. He was the brother of the late Ardrienne Garvin Hetherington.
He attended Lynn Public Schools and graduated in 1944. Upon graduation he entered the US Navy and saw combat in the Pacific Theater, where he earned five Battle Stars. While in the US Navy he served as a Signalman 3rd class on the USS Astoria. Upon discharge in 1946 he entered Suffolk University and graduated from Suffolk University Law School in 1951. He was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1951, at which time he married Betty Jane Cairns, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Ambrose Cairns of Brookline, MA. He then served in the US Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant from 1951-1955 as a Special Agent for the Office of Special Investigation (OSI).
For twenty years Judge Clancy practiced law in Boston and Westwood with his partner and long-time friend George Howard. He was nominated for a Judgeship in 1976, and was appointed Judge of Natick District Court. He served in many District and Superior Courts across the Commonwealth until his retirement in 1996 when he settled on Cape Cod, then eventually moved to Palm Coast, FL.
He is survived by his wife Betty Jane (Cairns) Clancy and his six children: Joan Clancy Borgatti and her husband Randy of Natick, MA; Dennis Clancy and his wife Sharon of Holliston, MA; Brian Clancy of Ashland, MA; Michael Clancy and his wife Mary of Stafford, VA; Janet Goldberg and her husband Larry of Ashland, MA; and Jane Sweeney of Osterville, MA.
He is also survived by 11 grandchildren: Christopher Borgatti and his wife Lisa, Elizabeth Borgatti, Emilia Clancy, Sarah Clancy, Douglas Goldberg, Katherine Goldberg, Andrew Clancy, Joseph Clancy, Patrick Clancy, Timothy Clancy, and Aidan Sweeney. In addition he leaves 2 great-grandchildren, Tessa and Joseph Borgatti and his grand-nephew Gabriel Drobot. Judge Clancy also leaves his sisters-in-law Joan (Cairns) Drobot and Barbara (Bobbi) Cairns, nieces and nephews John, Ann, and Scott Drobot, Sherry Farring, and grand-nephew Ian Alexander.
A wake will be held at the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street, Natick, MA on Tuesday, April 17 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, April 18 at 10:00 AM at St. Patrick’s Church in Natick. Burial will take place at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in West Roxbury.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to: St. Jude’s Hospital for Children, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.