Richard Francis "Cheech" Whalen

CHARLESTOWN, Mass. - Richard ""Cheech"" Francis Whalen, 82, widower of Angela (Scalo) Whalen died, surrounded by his children, on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, at Sherrill House, Jamaica Plain, Mass., after a lengthy illness.

Born in Meriden on May 19, 1931, he was the son of the late Lawrence W. Whalen, Sr. and Caroline (Barrette) Whalen. He graduated from Meriden High School in 1949. Mr. Whalen owned the North End Cafe on North Colony Street in Meriden, with Fernand Roy, for over 50 years, retiring in 2007. Cheech had many friends and was known for his kind and generous heart. He will be greatly missed by all he embraced throughout his life. He was a veteran of the Korean War, having served with the U.S. Navy. He was a past parishioner of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Waterbury, and St. Francis de Sales Parish in Charlestown, Mass. He was a member of the V.F.W., the Eagles Club, Hallmere Social Club, North Italian Social Club and the American Legion No. 45.

He is survived by one daughter, Susan M. Whalen and her husband, James S. Labeck, of Charlestown, Mass.; one son, Richard A. Whalen and his wife, Carla L. Whalen, of Melrose, Mass.; two grandchildren, Cameron and Christian Labeck; two sisters, Margaret R. Allison and her husband, Jonathan Allison, of North Yorkshire, England, and Mary W. Dobson and her husband, Frederick Dobson III, of Vancouver, Wash.; and sisters-in-law, Georgette P. Carosella and Barbara Whalen. He is also survived by seven nieces; and nine nephews. He was predeceased by brothers, Lawrence W. Whalen, Jr. and his wife, Margarita Whalen, and James J. Whalen.

The funeral will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 10:15 a.m. from the John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home, 88 E. Main St., Meriden, and at 11 a.m. at St. Rose of Lima Church for a Mass of Christian burial with the Rev. Ronald Perry, S.J., Rector of Boston College High School, officiating. Burial will be in All Saints Cemetery, 203 Spring Lake Road, Waterbury. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday, Sept. 6, from 4 to 8 p.m., and on Saturday prior to the Mass from 9 to 10:15 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to The Sherrill House, 135 South Huntington St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. For online condolences and directions please visit www.jferryfh.com