Obituary of Joseph F. Donoghue

Joseph Donoghue, 90, of Billerica, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends after a courageous four year battle with cancer. 

Joe was honored to celebrate his 90th birthday in December with over 100 of his family and friends from all walks of life including the fellow members of Billerica Elks, St. Mary’s church, Pitney Bowes, Market Basket, the SunShine Gals, neighbors, and waitresses from nearly every restaurant in town. 

Born in Boston, to Dennis Donoghue of Whitman, MA and Claudia (Silva) of the Azores, he was raised in the Mission Hill projects in Roxbury where he met his loving wife Kathleen (Dougherty) of Cambridge. They were married for 60 years before she passed away in 2020. He is predeceased by his siblings, Edward Donoghue, Theresa (Moura), and Mary (Fernandes).

Joe was proud to serve his country throughout Europe in the United States Air Force and could usually be seen flying an American flag on his car and sporting patriotic hats everywhere he went.

He worked for Pitney Bowes for 39 years as a service technician and warehouse manager before retiring in 1997. Yes, you read that right, he was happily retired and collecting that well deserved pension for over 29 years! During his retirement he was able to spend a lot of time with the loves’ of his life, his granddaughters Heather Donoghue (Hanna) and Alison Donoghue. 

Joe’s cheerful smile will be missed by all those who were fortunate enough to meet and love him.  As he used to sign off from his CB radio back in the day, “Catch you another day, another way”. 

A Funeral Mass will be held Friday February 27th at 10am In St. Matthew the Evangelist Parish in St. Theresa's Church, 466 Boston Road, Billerica followed by a burial at Fox Hill Cemetery. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Billerica Elks #2071 National Foundation.