Devoted Boston sports fan who loved cribbage and traveling
WAKEFIELD — Joseph Thomas Lehane, 79, of Wakefield passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 31.
He was born in Boston, the son of the late Joseph D. and Gertrude (Nolan) Lehane. He spent his youth in Jamaica Plain and was a graduate of Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury. He was a proud member of the Plumbers Union Local 12 for nearly 60 years and he enjoyed a second career working for the Town of Wakefield where he made many life-long friends.
Joe was a devoted Boston sports fan. He especially loved watching the Boston Bruins and New England Patriots. He also found joy and camaraderie playing cribbage with friends and family. Joe enjoyed traveling with friends and visited Ireland, Italy and journeyed by train across the United States, seeing many amazing sights. Joe enjoyed reading a good book and the daily newspapers. His easy going nature and dry sense of humor endeared him to all that knew him.
He was predeceased by his son, Dennis Lehane and began a scholarship in his name through the Wakefield Scholarship Foundation that has provided college scholarships to students for over two decades.
Joseph is survived by his children: Christine Lehane of Nashua, NH; Paul Lehane and his wife Dorothy of North Reading; and Michael Lehane and his wife Michelle of Reading; his beloved siblings: Mary Lehane of Weymouth; Peter Lehane and his wife Anne of Braintree; Sheila Allendorf of Walpole; Helen Hillier of Woburn; and Richard Lehane of Weymouth; eight treasured grandchildren: Jessica Miceli, Nicholas Miceli, Ashley Lehane, Kaitlyn Lehane, Emily Lehane, Ryan Lehane, Kiley Lehane and Ashlyn Lehane as well as many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews, who lovingly referred to him as Uncle Joe-Joe. He was also predeceased by his brother-in-law Richard Allendorf.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend his funeral Mass on Saturday, April 13 at 10 a.m. at St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington. The family will host a Celebration of Life for Joe on April 13 at 11:30 a.m. at the Tuscan Kitchen in Burlington. In Lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at stjude.org or to Compassionate Care ALS, please make checks payable to CCALS and mail to CCALS, P.O. Box 1052, West Falmouth, MA 02575 or at ccals.org.
