Cornelius M. "Neil" Hickey

Peabody – Mr. Cornelius M. "Neil" Hickey of Peabody, formerly of Waltham, died Monday, December 16, 2013 in the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. He was 84.

Neil was born in Watertown on February 4, 1929, a son of the late Cornelius and Mae (McDermott) Hickey. He graduated from Waltham High School and served in the U.S. Army National Guard. In 1957 he married the former Lois L. Fortin and they were together for thirty-three years until her passing in 1990.

Neil was a sales agent for MetLife in Waltham until his retirement. He loved to cook and looked forward to Sunday dinners. Neil sang in the choir at Saint Luke's Church in Belmont and, more recently, at Our Lady's Church in Waltham. He was an avid sports fan and also loved gardening and dancing. But most of all, he enjoyed his grandchildren and swimming in the back yard pool where he always had a smile and a joke ready to tell.

He leaves his children, N. Michael Hickey and his wife, Lilette, of Waltham, Lisa M. McCusker and her husband, Stephen, of Poway California, Lauren P. Powers and her husband, Michael, of North Falmouth, and Lynne A. Johns and her husband, William, of Clinton; his grandchildren, Melissa Sherwood, Ryan McCusker, Kathryn McCusker, Melissa Miller, Lindsey Hickey, Michaela Powers, Sean Powers, William Johns, III, Eain Johns and Emily Johns and many nieces and nephews.

Neil was also the brother of the late Katherine Fitzgerald, Rita Devlin, and Maryam Kelliher.

Family and friends will honor and remember Neil's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday, December 22nd, from 2 to 5 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Monday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Saint Patrick's Cemetery in Watertown.

Memorial donations may be made to the Kaplan Family Hospice House, 78 Liberty Street, Danvers, MA 01923 or to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.