Charles F. Deehan, Jr., a resident of Medford for 60 years, died peacefully on January 23, 2007. He was 88 years old.
Born in Quincy, Mr. Deehan was raised and educated in Woburn where he graduated from Woburn High School. During World War II, He served as a flight officer in the United States Army Air Corps from 1940-1945. Upon returning from military service, Mr. Deehan attended and graduated from the New England Institute of Anatomy, Sanitary Science, Embalming, and Funeral Directing in Boston. He began his career in funeral service with the Fallon Funeral Home in Jamaica Plain and then became a funeral director at the Torf Funeral Service of Chelsea and Brookline in 1950. Mr. Deehan became an integral part of the Torf staff, eventually rising to the position of General Manager. He served the Greater Boston and North Shore Jewish Communities with dedication, respect and dignity, retiring in 1984. He will be remembered for his humility, compassion, and sense of humor.
As a noted artist, Mr. Deehan taught painting and was a past president of the Medford Arts Council. His oil paintings long been admired by all who have had the privilege of examining them. In addition to painting, Mr. Deehan had a great love for aviation and anything involved with flight.
The beloved husband of Alyce J. (Gavin) Deehan, he is also survived by 3 sons, Charles F. Deehan and his wife Sharon of Natick, Paul G. Deehan and his wife Peggy of Melbourne, FL, and William J. Deehan and his wife Leigh Deehan of Pittsford, VT. He was the cherished grandfather of Lyssa and Gavin Deehan of Pittsford, VT; the brother of Mary Winston and her late husband Walter of Milford, Roberta White of Woburn, JoAnn Jolley of Riverside, CA, Pat Conroy and her husband Larry of Dennis, and the late Paul Deehan and his wife Yvette of Chesapeake, VA; brother-in-law of Eileen Donahue and her late husband William of Bangor, ME, Mary T. Gavin and her late husband John “Jackie”, and Helen Gavin and her late husband William of Woburn. Mr. Deehan is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Funeral from the Beals-Geake-Magliozzi Funeral Home, 29 Governors Avenue, MEDFORD on Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 8:00 AM followed by a funeral mass celebrated in the Immaculate Conception Church, 600 Pleasant St. Malden at 9:00 AM. Relatives and friends respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours Friday from 4-8 PM. Interment in Puritan Lawn Cemetery, Peabody. Donations in Mr. Deehan’s memory may be made to the Lawrence Memorial / Regis College Nursing Scholarship Program, 170 Governors Ave. Medford, MA 02155.