Published in the March 16, 2021 edition.
WAKEFIELD — John F. Rush Sr., 79, of Wakefield and formerly of Charlestown, died Sunday, March 14 at the High Point Hospice House in Haverhill.
Born in Boston on October, 7, 1941, he was the son of the late Helen (Rush) Giglio and the step-son Victor Giglio.
John was raised in Charlestown and was a proud “Townie,” having lived a colorful life that made him the man he was today. A man who had a strong personality, always told it to you straight and never liked a bully. He made friends everywhere he went and always stood up for the underdog.
John had been an elevator mechanic for 37 years and eventually retired as an elevator inspector for the state of Massachusetts. He raised his large family in Wakefield and they were parishioners of St. Joseph Church and Most Blessed Sacrament Church.
John enjoyed skiing and he was an avid history reader, the topic fascinated him. He loved ice hockey, a sport that the whole family was involved in and he was always cheering on one of his children. He was a handyman who was surprisingly immune to electricity, and he passed his Renaissance knowledge onto his children. John was above all a good dad who loved his children and his pets.
He was the beloved husband of Catherine (Keelan) Rush. He was the loving father of John Rush of Wakefield, Mary Rush of Billerica, Daniel Rush of WA, Scott Rush of Melrose, Gregory Rush and his wife Michelle of Billerica, Meghan Reyno and her husband Justin of Andover, Samantha Tetreau and her wife Melissa of Andover, Brandon Rush and his wife Kayla of Wakefield, and the late Colin J. Rush, Kyle Anne Rush, and Stephen Smith. He was the brother of the late Lorraine Nicolosi and the half-brother of Victor Giglio. He was the grandfather of J.D., Morgan, Haley, Lauren, Joseph, Nicholas, Grant, Cameron, Kaila, Connor, Lucas and Payton.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated in Most Blessed Sacrament Church, 1155 Main St., Wakefield on Thursday at 11 a.m. Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield on Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. Interment, Forest Glade Cemetery, Wakefield.
Due to COVID-19 concerns the family asks that guests arrive wearing a mask and exit the building after having the opportunity to pay their respects.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Kyle Rush Scholarship Fund, 70 Madison Ave., Wakefield, MA 01880; Venmo: @KyleRush; Paypal: KyleRushFund@gmail.com
