Thomas “Joe” Joseph McNicholas, a resident of Charlestown, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on April 3, 2025 at the age of 97.
Born on May 16, 1927, in Dorchester, Massachusetts, to Thomas McNicholas of Kiltimagh, County Mayo, Ireland, and Margaret (O’Brien) of County Cork. Joe lived a long and fulfilling life marked by his dedication to family and public service.
He attended St. Mary’s School in Charlestown and later Charlestown High School. In 1945, at the tender age of seventeen, Joe, with his father’s hesitant permission, enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. Stationed on French Frigate Shoals, a man-made island near Midway, he served as an electrical technician, maintaining vital radio communications for Pacific forces. He courageously weathered the harrowing April Fools’ Day tsunami, a testament to his resilience.
Following his military service, Joe embarked on a successful career as an electrician, ascending to the position of master electrician and Building Commissioner. He dedicated over four decades to the City of Boston as a member of the ISD and as the Commissioner of Inspectional Services. For fifteen years, he imparted his knowledge as an instructor at Wentworth Institute of Technology, teaching electrical courses, conducting recertification classes, and contributing to the revision of electrical codes.
Joe’s intellectual curiosity was insatiable. He found immense joy in delving into technical manuals, spending countless hours absorbing intricate details and diagrams. A dedicated news enthusiast, he was rarely seen without a newspaper in hand- its crossword puzzle filled out neatly by a mechanical pencil.
His unwavering support for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, a tradition instilled by the nuns at St. Mary’s School, was legendary. To ensure uninterrupted game-day listening, his children were forbidden from speaking, and his wife, Margaret, often found herself herding him away from the radio to run errands. Joe was a former coach of Charlestown Pop Warner and Babe Ruth and was a volunteer at the Harvest on Vine Food Pantry. He was a member of the Old Charlestown Schoolboy's Association.
Joe was predeceased by his beloved wife, Margaret (Shea) McNicholas, his son, Thomas J. McNicholas, his sister Margaret Dilko, and his grandson Kieran J. Kelly.
He is survived by his children: Nancy Kelly and her husband Kieran, Geraldine Murphy and her husband Steven, and William McNicholas and his wife Agatha. Joe was a cherished grandfather to Diana (Kelly) Ho and her husband Joseph Ho, Colin Murphy, and a loving great-grandfather to Liam Ho.
Joe will be deeply missed by all who knew him. His legacy of service, knowledge, and unwavering family devotion will endure.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend Joe's Visiting Hours on Wednesday Morning, April 9, 2025 from 10 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. in The Carr Funeral Home, 220 Bunker Hill St. Charlestown, followed by his Funeral Mass at 12 Noon in St. Mary's Church, 55 Warren St. Charlestown. His burial at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne will privately take place on Thursday.
In lieu of flowers, kindly make a memorial donation in Joe's name to:
Courageous Sailing Center for Youth, Inc.
197 8th Street
Charlestown, MA 02129
and
Harvest on Vine
46 Winthrop St
Charlestown, MA 02129