Michael James Hanafin

Of Chelmsford went to rest at his home on May 29, 2008 surrounded by his family, after succumbing to a brief illness. He was born on February 27, 1938 in Lowell, son of the late Michael and Louise (Couture) Hanafin. Michael grew up in North Adams where he attended Parochial Schools and graduated from Drury High School. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he was employed by Sprague Electric in North Adams. He moved to Tyngsboro where he attended Lowell Tech and was employed by several area defense companies including Raytheon Co. in Bedford and Wayland, High Voltage Engineering Co. in Lexington, ASEC in Burlington, and retired from Dynamics Research in Wilmington. He was a member of the First Congregational Church in Lowell (which merged into Christ Church United in Lowell), where he was an active member, serving on numerous committees and as a deacon and Superintendent of Christian Education. In recent years he attended Central Congregational Church in Chelmsford. He served on the Boston Muscular Dystrophy board for years, was the first President of the Chelmsford Friends of Music, a little league coach, a member of Tyngsboro Sportsman Club where he had served as Treasurer, and was instrumental in creating programs to lend a helping hand to those in need within his community. Michael is survived by his loving and caring family whom he spoiled to the end; Helen (Popplewell) Hanafin, his wife of 47 years, and his three daughters and their husbands, whom he treated like sons, Kim & Harris Chadwell and their children Melyssa and Michaela; Keri & John Suslovitch and their daughter Svetlana; Kati and Michael Moran and their children Alexandra & Bryan; and Shane Coombs, a grandson whom he raised like a son. He also leaves his sister, Marilyn Stevens, a sister in-law and brother in-law, Richard and Barbara (Popplewell) Barrelle, brother in-law, Robert Popplewell and several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was pre-deceased by his mother in-law and father in-law, Barbara and Berkeley Popplewell, and a brother in-law, Harold Stevens. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday evening 4-8pm at the Blake Funeral Home, 24 Worthen St., CHELMSFORD. A Funeral Service will be held on Monday morning at 11 o'clock with an hour visitation to be held from 10 to 11am prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial in Pine Ridge Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Michael's name to the Lowell General Hospital Cancer Center, 295 Varnum Ave., Lowell, MA 01854 or to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West 6th Fl., Brookline, MA 02445-7226, payable to The Jimmy Fund. Arrangements by Blake Funeral Home, Chelmsford. www.blakefuneralhome.com