Jennifer Meghan McCann Black

1983 - 2019

Jennifer Meghan McCann Black, 36, who was born and raised in Haverhill, passed away peacefully Monday, June 3, 2019 surrounded by her family at a hospice center near her home in Pawtucket, RI.

Jen was born in Haverhill on May 7, 1983 to Bernie McCann and Jean (Comeau) McCann. She graduated from Haverhill High School in 2001, received her undergraduate degree from St. Anselm College in 2005 and a Masters in Teaching from Brown University in 2008.

Jen spent her life working in service of others. After college she volunteered for a year in Camden, NJ as part of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps where she met her future husband Matt. After several years of working for non-profits and attending grad school she began teaching History and Psychology at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham in 2009. Jen was a demanding teacher who had high expectations and deeply cared for all of her students. A beloved member of the faculty, she served as the Vice President of the Teachers Union for four years and was a great friend to many of her colleagues. She was known for always bringing in a home made cake or other baked goods any time it was a member of the department's birthday.

Jen loved traveling and often spent her summer vacations abroad. She particularly loved Ireland and lived in Galway on two separate occasions. She loved dancing to 90s R&B music, reading celebrity gossip and watching Jeopardy every night. She enjoyed Broadway Musicals and danced and acted in many plays during college.

Jen deeply loved, and was loved by, her friends and family. She loved to bring people together and was always happy to plan a party or get-together. She never forgot a friend or family member's birthday and loved keeping in touch with her friends throughout the country.

Jen married her husband Matt Black in 2008, and they lived in Rhode Island for the past 9 years. On her 35th birthday in 2018 Jen gave birth to their son, Michael Bernard McCann Black. Jen was overjoyed to be a mother and loved Michael with all of her heart. She loved playing with Michael, taking him on adventures and singing him songs from her favorite movie, The Wizard of Oz.

In April 2018, while 7 months pregnant, Jen was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Angiosarcoma. Despite receiving this devastating news, Jen lived the last year of her life with courage and optimism. Although she needed multiple intensive therapies and suffered many health challenges, she did the best she could to spend as much time with her son and husband as possible. Jen's bravery and strength is an inspiration to everyone who knew her.

In addition to her husband, son, and parents, Jen is survived by her brother Christopher McCann of Waltham, her grandparents Bernard McCann and Sheila (Curran) McCann of Lawrence, her mother and father-in-law Michael and Roberta (Hagerty) Black, , her aunts and uncles, Dr. Anne M. Comeau and Ned McClung of Newburyport, MA, Teresa and Pete Theriault of Sandown, NH, Paul and Carol Comeau of Plaistow, NH, Timothy McCann of Lawrence, MA, Colleen Luke of North Andover, MA, Daniel and Tracie McCann of North Andover, MA, her sisters and brothers-in-laws, Theresa and Corey McCartney of Anacortes, WA, Stephanie and Kevin Bazzell of Bremerton, WA, Taliah Black of Bellingham, WA, her nephews, Eli McCartney, Liam, Ethan, and Noah Bazzell and many, great aunts, great uncles, cousins, extended family and friends.

Jen was predeceased by her maternal grandparents, Paul and Florina (Bouvier) Comeau, her cousin James McCann, her uncle Patrick McCann and her Great Aunt and Uncle, Mary and Rocky Allen.

Finally, Jen's family would like to thank all of the people who gave her and her family such loving medical care and support during the past year, particularly those at Dana Farber, Brigham and Women's and Spaulding Hospitals.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jen McCann Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Pentucket Bank, One Merrimack St., Haverhill, MA 01832.

Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend calling hours on Friday, June 7 from 4:00PM until 8:00PM at the Kevin B. Comeau Funeral Home, 486 Main Street, Haverhill. Funeral services will begin on Saturday morning in the funeral home at 9:00AM with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at St. James Church, Winter Street, Haverhill at 10:00AM. Burial will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Hilldale Avenue, Haverhill. Please visit Comeau Funeral Home on Facebook or www.comeaufuneral.com