John J. O'Malley

John J. O'Malley, 82, died Thursday afternoon, December 10, 2009 at UMass-Memorial Medical Center after being stricken at home. He leaves his beloved wife of 57 years, Anne T. (McAuliffe) O'Malley.

John was born in Worcester in 1927, son of Worcester firefighter Michael J. O'Malley and Josephine (Fitzgerald) O'Malley. He attended Worcester public schools and graduated from Classical High School in 1945. He served as a medical corpsman in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of the Holy Cross in 1949, a Masters degree in Education from Worcester State College in 1950, and a Masters degree in Public Health from Columbia University in 1953.

John served in the Worcester Public Schools for forty-two years, first as a teacher and then as a Principal at every level, at Gage Street School, at Worcester East Middle School, and finally at Burncoat Senior High School for eighteen years. Upon his retirement from the Worcester Public Schools, he enjoyed working for twelve years at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.

John leaves six children: Dr. Jo-Anne O. Shepard and her husband William J. Shepard Jr. of Dover, MA, Deborah A. O'Malley, Patricia A. O'Malley, Timothy J. O'Malley, Elizabeth A. Murphy and her husband Timothy Murphy, and John J. O'Malley Jr. and his wife Jenifer O'Malley, all of Worcester. His son, Michael J. O'Malley, predeceased him. John is also survived by his brother, Very Reverend Joseph M. O'Malley of Denver, CO.

John was devoted to his family and his greatest pleasure was following the many sports events and activities of his grandchildren; Sarah, John and Robert Shepard; Rachel, Matthew and Joseph Murphy; John J. III, Grace and Michael O'Malley; Renee Burke-Drazba and Gary Paul Giofreda.

Calling hours are Sunday, December 13, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Athy Memorial Home, 111 Lancaster St., Worcester. The funeral will be Monday, December 14 from the funeral home with a Mass at 10 a.m. in Blessed Sacrament Church, 555 Pleasant St., Worcester. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Worcester.

Donations in John's memory may be made to the College of the Holy Cross Scholarship Fund, c/o the Development Office, 1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610.