1925
Joseph
2011
Joseph T. Canavan
March 10, 1925 — July 29, 2011
Waltham – Mr. Joseph T. Canavan, of Waltham, died Friday, July 29, 2011 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in West Roxbury. He was 86.
Joe was born in South Boston on March 10, 1925, a son of the late Andrew and Kate (Quinn) Canavan, both natives of County Galway, Ireland. He was a 1942 graduate of South Boston High School and lived in Brockton for many years before moving to Waltham. Until his retirement he worked for forty years as a bridge operator for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Joe also worked for more than thirty years as a floor manager for Shaw’s Supermarkets.
During World War II he served with the United States Army’s 168th Engineer Battalion, a unit that was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for their defense of St. Vith, Belgium during the infamous ‘Battle of the Bulge’ during the winter of 1944-45. Joe and his unit were sent to England in May, 1944 and found themselves ashore at Normandy, France a month later. They participated in the battles of Northern France, the Rhineland, the Ardennes and Central Europe.
On December 16th, 1944 an overwhelming number of German panzer and infantry units began their push towards the port of Antwerp, Belgium. Standing in their way was the crossroads at St. Vith, defended by a combination of American infantry, engineer and artillery battalions. During ferocious fighting that ensued over the following week Joe was one of hundreds of Americans taken prisoner after having been cut off from their units. He was freed from a German POW camp in April, 1945 and was sent home a month later. In addition to the unit citation he earned a Purple Heart.
He was a longtime member of the American ex-POW Association and the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Needham.
He leaves his wife, Marilyn A. (McGovern) Canavan; his children, Marilyn K. ‘Lynne’ Leo and her husband, Cosmo, of Belmont and Joseph W. Canavan and his wife, Ann, of Newton; his grandchildren, Maura and Thomas Leo and Lily and Sam Canavan; his brother and sister, William Canavan of Belmont and Helen Canavan of Quincy and many nieces and nephews.
Joe was also a brother of the late Mary Melody, Catherine Canavan, Margaret Keohane, Anna Derrane and Barbara Maimaron.
Family and friends will honor and remember Joe’s life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Monday, August 1st, from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne at 12:30 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the N.E. Center of Homeless Vets, 17 Court Street, Boston, MA 02108.
Joe was born in South Boston on March 10, 1925, a son of the late Andrew and Kate (Quinn) Canavan, both natives of County Galway, Ireland. He was a 1942 graduate of South Boston High School and lived in Brockton for many years before moving to Waltham. Until his retirement he worked for forty years as a bridge operator for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Joe also worked for more than thirty years as a floor manager for Shaw’s Supermarkets.
During World War II he served with the United States Army’s 168th Engineer Battalion, a unit that was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for their defense of St. Vith, Belgium during the infamous ‘Battle of the Bulge’ during the winter of 1944-45. Joe and his unit were sent to England in May, 1944 and found themselves ashore at Normandy, France a month later. They participated in the battles of Northern France, the Rhineland, the Ardennes and Central Europe.
On December 16th, 1944 an overwhelming number of German panzer and infantry units began their push towards the port of Antwerp, Belgium. Standing in their way was the crossroads at St. Vith, defended by a combination of American infantry, engineer and artillery battalions. During ferocious fighting that ensued over the following week Joe was one of hundreds of Americans taken prisoner after having been cut off from their units. He was freed from a German POW camp in April, 1945 and was sent home a month later. In addition to the unit citation he earned a Purple Heart.
He was a longtime member of the American ex-POW Association and the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Needham.
He leaves his wife, Marilyn A. (McGovern) Canavan; his children, Marilyn K. ‘Lynne’ Leo and her husband, Cosmo, of Belmont and Joseph W. Canavan and his wife, Ann, of Newton; his grandchildren, Maura and Thomas Leo and Lily and Sam Canavan; his brother and sister, William Canavan of Belmont and Helen Canavan of Quincy and many nieces and nephews.
Joe was also a brother of the late Mary Melody, Catherine Canavan, Margaret Keohane, Anna Derrane and Barbara Maimaron.
Family and friends will honor and remember Joe’s life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Monday, August 1st, from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne at 12:30 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the N.E. Center of Homeless Vets, 17 Court Street, Boston, MA 02108.
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