Wakefield Obituaries

Human Resources director loved to laugh, host Sunday dinners

MELROSE — Catherine J. (Tortora) Beaver, of Melrose, passed away at home on October 31, 2022, at the age of 78.

Catherine was born in East Boston, raised in Malden and attended Malden High School. She resided in Melrose for over 50 years and worked as…

Navy veteran had many interests

WAKEFIELD — John Stanley “Jack” Leighton passed away peacefully on October 23, 2022 following a period of failing health.

Jack was born on November 21, 1931 in Quincy to Levi and Beatrice (Drysdale) Leighton. He was raised in Quincy and Rockland. Following high school Jack enlisted in the United States…

A caring, considerate, thoughtful and funny, family oriented man

STONEHAM — Gordon E. Perks, age 63, of Stoneham, died October 26 at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. after a period of failing health.

Born in Melrose on September 7, 1959 he was the beloved son of the late Frank C.

and Margaret (Stoddart…

Longtime Wakefield resident was an avid bowler

WAKEFIELD — Virginia M. Chirichetti, age 89, of Wakefield died October 30, 2022 in Melrose.

She was born in Malden on March 20, 1933 and was the daughter of the late Augustus and Eva Snow. She was raised in Everett and was a graduate of Everett High School…

Had a long career with the U.S. Dept. of Defense

WAKEFIELD — Michael A. Modica, 96, of Wakefield, passed away peacefully on October 24, 2022. Mike was born in Wakefield on November 13, 1925, to Michele and Josephine (Ciacera) Modica.

At 17, Mike enlisted in the Army Air Corps. At 19, his B-17 was shot…

Retired Sheriff of Middlesex County who loved his family and Irish music

WAKEFIELD — John Patrick McGonigle, age 84, (“Mac”), passed away peacefully at home on October 27, 2022.

John was born to John McGonigle and Anna Gallagher in Everett, Massachusetts, in 1938, the oldest of seven children. He attended Malden Catholic High School and…

An avid reader and wonderful cook

STONEHAM — Joan Theresa Keegan, age 89, of Stoneham, formerly of Wakefield, died Saturday, October 15 at the Winchester Hospital.

Born in Boston on June 25, 1933 she was the daughter of the late Stephen and Mary A. (Balboni) Gould.

Joan was raised in East Boston and had been…

Retired from the Mass DOT and graduated from WMHS

MALDEN — Robert E. McNulty, 71, of Malden, formerly of Wakefield passed away Thursday, October 27 at the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, the same place of his birth, after a brief battle with lung cancer.

He was the son of the late Dr. John and Annette (Griffin) McNulty…

A loving family oriented man who always had his heart in the right place

PEABODY — Richard J. “Rick” Zeimetz, of Peabody and formerly longtime resident of Wakefield, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, at age 76.

Rick was born in Malden on August 27, 1946, one of three children of the late…

A devoted and loving mom that enjoyed sewing and knitting

WINCHESTER — Claire Mary Goodwin age 48, formerly of Wakefield, passed away in her sleep at her residence in Winchester on October 20. Claire was the loving mother of two children: George Jr. of Saugus and Andrea (Ali) Goodwin of Sarasota, Fla.

She was the…

Relished time with her family, reading and traveling

NATICK — Kathleen Claire Gagnon (McCarthy) of Natick, formerly of Lynnfield, passed away peacefully on October 23 at the age of 85.

Born in Lynn to Helen (Rooney) and Charles McCarthy, Kay attended St. Joseph Elementary and graduated from St. Mary’s High School with her beloved class…

Her true happiness was spending time with her children and family

MIDDLETON — Joyce Elizabeth Hart, age 83 of Middleton, died on Friday, October 21 at the Masconomet Rehab Center in Topsfield.

She was born in Malden on April 17, 1939 and was the daughter of the late Ernest and Lucille (Cate) Conti.

Joyce grew…