David J. Mahoney

Waltham – Mr. David J. Mahoney, of Waltham, died Thursday, May 3, 2012 at his home. He was 92.

David was born in Salem on July 28, 1919, the second of four sons born to the late Cornelius and Ethel (Cavanaugh) Mahoney. He graduated from Salem High School where he played baseball and basketball. He was working in Salem at the outbreak of World War II and was drafted into the United States Army in May of 1943.

Seven months after his induction he was sent to Europe as part of the 208th Replacement Company, arriving in England during the first week of 1944. In late June of that year he landed in Normandy as part of the Allied push to free Europe of Nazi tyranny. As one of the 'old men' in the group – at age 24 – he was soon promoted to staff sergeant and served with General George Patton's Third Army. He spent just under two years in France and Germany and was part of the liberation force that pushed into central Germany in early spring of 1945. He also saw action during the battle of the Rhineland, more infamously known as the Battle of the Bulge during the harsh winter of 1944-45. He returned home just before Christmas, 1945 and was discharged from the Army a month later.

That same year he married his sweetheart, Eileen H. Ross, a Beverly native and the couple settled in Salem. In 1952 they moved to Arizona at the direction of Dave's doctors to try and improve the health of his lungs, severely compromised due to the long months of exposure during the war. After ten years of living out west and with his health vastly improved the growing family moved back home in 1962 and settled in Waltham where he has lived since.

Until his retirement Dave worked as a purchasing agent for McLean Hospital in Belmont and maintained a lifelong passion for basketball, attending Celtics games regularly and playing pick-up games well into old age. He also belonged to Saint Mary's Bowling League at the Wal-Lex Bowling Lanes for a number of years.

Dave's wife, Eileen, died December 30, 1979.

He leaves his children, David J. Mahoney, Jr. and his wife, Dianne, of Wrentham, Catherine A. Mahoney of Dracut and Timothy M. Mahoney and his wife, Eileen, of Peabody; his grandchildren, Jeffrey, Darren, Timothy and Michael Mahoney and Maureen Flannery; his great-grandchildren, Jeffery, Matthew, Andrew and Abigail Mahoney and Erin and Kelly Flannery and many nieces and nephews.

He was also a brother of the late Joseph, Robert, and Richard Mahoney.

Family and friends will honor and remember David's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday, May 6th from 2 to 5 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Monday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Mary's Church, 133 School Street, Waltham, where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Grove Hill Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to the Meals on Wheels Program, c/o Waltham Council on Aging, 488 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02452.