Carol Hennessey

Carol Ann Bradford Hennessey died on Monday, February 10, 2025 while in Hospice Care at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts. Carol had recently celebrated her 89th birthday with family and friends in November of 2024.
Carol was born to parents Martha Burrowes Bradford and Howland Bradford in 1935. She lived in various Massachusetts communities before attending college in Boston.
Carol Bradford and Paul Hennessey met as undergraduates at Boston University (BU). Carol earned her associates degree while a BU student. After graduation Carol and Paul married and moved to New York City (NYC) with the intention of eventually returning to Massachusetts (MA) to raise their anticipated future children. Their oldest son Arthur was born in NYC in 1958 and within two years Carol and Paul returned to MA and bought their first home in Boxborough on Route 111. They had two more children, Ann and Steve, before moving into their second Boxborough home at the top of the Kendall Road cul-de-sac. Their last child, Frances, was born when Carol's family had already moved to their Kendall Road home.
Carol and Paul liked to play tennis, ride their tandem bicycle, as well as walk on sandy ocean beaches. Carol played in the ocean waves whenever possible. This was especially true in North Truro on Cape Cod at Coast Guard Beach, a mile's walk from where they camped many times over the years. Avid travelers, Carol and Paul were lucky enough to travel together to places like the Bahamas and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Carol and Paul traveled many places with their children including Niagara Falls, New Orleans for Mardi Gras, California, and Florida. Carol traveled with daughter Ann to Ireland and Scotland in 2015.
Carol enjoyed many hobbies including reading, crossword puzzles (especially Anacrostics), sudoku, playing cards, Scrabble, gardening, embroidery, quilting, card-making, and cheering on the Red Sox for much of her life. Carol, Paul, and their daughter Ann also practiced transcendental meditation (TM) as well as Reiki together for many years.
Carol devoted many hours to Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and CCD classes at St. Elizabeth's of Hungary in Acton, MA. Carol had opportunities to work outside the home. She served as Boxborough Town Clerk from 1965 to 1967. She later learned handwriting analysis (graphoanalysis) with her husband Paul. Carol and two colleagues created JTC Consultants, a company that was often called on to provide expert witness testimony during court proceedings. Carol also worked as a nursing assistant for many years.
Carol is predeceased by her husband Paul Arthur Hennessey, her eldest son Arthur Paul Hennessey, her sister Marcia Bradford, as well as her parents Martha Burrowes Bradford and Howland Bradford. Carol is survived by her brother Roger Bradford (and his wife Sandra Marosek), her eldest daughter Ann Carol Hennessey, her son Steven Paul Hennessey (and his husband Raul Lapa), as well as her youngest daughter Frances Carol Hennessey Toops (and her husband Chris Toops). Additionally, Carol is survived by her three grandchildren: Sean Christopher Hennessey, Corey Sarah Hennessey, and Christina (Dandi) Kiel Hennessey. Carol is also survived by Arthur's former wives Susan MacKinnon and Maria Borowski.
A memorial service will be held in Carol's honor at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (616 Great Road, Littleton, MA) at 10:00am on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Light refreshments will be served immediately afterward. All are welcome.
Out of respect for Carol's love of animals, please, in lieu of flowers, send donations to The Wild Animal Sanctuary: https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org/.