Joesph "Joe" Moynahan

Joe Moynahan’s Obituary

            After having battled heart disease for over thirty years, Joseph, “Joe”, T. Moynahan’s heart failed him on Friday March 13, 2020. 

            Being an athlete in both body and mind, the declinations of his body were a nuisance to him as he aged; but, never being one to complain, he found ways to remain physically active, even when his doctors advised against it.  He used that same stubbornness to drive himself as a basketball and baseball player at Williamsburg High School, after having moved there from Chicopee in his teens.  While there, “Burgy Joe” earned accolades in both basketball––scoring over 1700 points in his career––and baseball, where he was coached by Hall of Fame coach Earl Tonet, and was eventually drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers at the age of eighteen.

Luckily for his children, he chose the more prudent route of college––Westfield State––where he met his future wife of fifty-four years, Joanne Johnson.  Once they met on campus, they never left each other’s side.  Joe continued to play both baseball and basketball at Westfield State, but his focus soon moved on to teaching history and guidance, coaching baseball and basketball, and officiating baseball, basketball, and soccer matches.

Later in life, after thirty-seven years in education, Joe enjoyed gardening, cutting and splitting wood, and attending sporting events at Hampshire Regional.  Joe also followed the stock market with zeal and liked placing an occasional bet on the horses at Saratoga. For over fifty years, Joe and Joanne and the kids––Shaun, Laura, and Dan––spent summers at Long Beach in Rockport and Joe especially looked forward to the week when the entire family would gather there.

Joe was predeceased by his parents Patrick and Helen and his younger brothers Tim-o and John.  He is survived by his wife Joanne and his three sisters: Pat, Biddeford, ME; Kathy Luce and her husband Rusty, Williamsburg, MA; and Maureen McWilliams and her husband Ted, Des Moines, IA.

Joe leaves behind three children and their spouses: Shaun and Tung, San Francisco, CA; Laura O’Donnell, Southampton, MA; Dan and Anna, Southampton, MA.  He also leaves behind four grandchildren, Emily and Kaley O’Donnell and Aidan and Shayne Moynahan.

There will be no calling hours and the family is going to hold Joe’s funeral at their convenience. The Mitchell Funeral in charge of arrangements.  www.mitchellcofuneralhome.com

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