Thomas Henry Dempsey Jr.

Thomas H. Dempsey Jr. of Abington and Norwell, formerly of Boston and Milton, June 6, 2020, devoted husband of Jane Carey Dempsey and the late Louise E. (Armburg) Dempsey; Loving father of Thomas H. III and wife Claire of Hingham, Karen Louise Armstrong and husband Kurt of Kingston, Janice Diane Hagman and husband James of Denver, CO, and Eileen Marie Dempsey of Halifax;  Loving brother of Susan B. Giguere and husband Leo of Mattapoisett, Marjoryann Duncan and her late husband  Gerald of Abington, Maryalice Flaherty and her late husband Charles of Brunswick, NJ, Frederick B. Dempsey and wife Mary of Barnstable, and the late Joseph Myles Dempsey, and the late Kathryn Virginia Power and her late husband Jerome; Loving grandfather of Jennifer Catherine Goodale and husband Jeremy of Halifax, Thomas Henry Dempsey IV of Oakland, CA, Jeffrey Joseph Armstrong of Plymouth, Kristin Louise Gundersen and husband Matthew of Lincoln, RI, Audrey Elizabeth Hagman of Austin, TX, Callan Jessica Hagman of Denver, CO, Robert Nicholas Madden of East Boston, and Ryan Alexander Madden of Halifax; Also, survived by many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and four great grandchildren.

Born at home in Roxbury to Thomas H. and Catherine R. (Moore) Dempsey, he attended Boston and Milton schools prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served aboard the USS Carter Hall, LSD 3 in the South Pacific. He received the Asiatic-Pacific Area Ribbon, the American Theater Ribbon, and the World War II Victory Ribbon. After the war he graduated from Milton High School and attended Massachusetts Art School in Boston.

He then worked for two newspapers in Massachusetts (The Falmouth Enterprise and The Commercial Bulletin in Boston) before joining the Boston Herald Traveler in 1953. In 1972 he worked for the Hearst Corporation and then for the Boston Herald under Rupert Murdock. After that he worked for Patrick Purcell, who bought the Boston Herald. Upon his retirement in 1995 he completed almost 50 years of service in the newspaper business. In addition he was a part-time instructor at the City of Boston Printing Plant in the North End of Boston for three years teaching new processes in the printing industry.

He was a member of St. Bridget’s Parish in Abington, St. Vincent De Paul Society in Abington, Life member of the Knight s of Columbus #5254 in Abington, The International Typographical Union, Massachusetts Teacher Association, Lifetime member of the Abington VFW Post #5737, a Life member of the DAV, Chapter 29 in Braintree, a member of the Civil War Roundtable, and past commander in the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Camp 61, in Quincy.

Tom was a kindhearted and dependable man who cherished his family and valued his relationship with friends. He also enjoyed fishing, gardening, and genealogy, spending countless hours researching and documenting his family’s history.

A funeral mass will be held in St. Bridget Church, 455 Plymouth Street, Abington on Friday June 12 at 9am. Please go directly to St. Bridget Church and the church is currently at a 50 person capacity. Arrangements by the Quealy & Son Funeral Home, Abington. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in memory of Thomas to: St. Vincent De Paul Society, 455 Plymouth Street, Abington, MA 02351.

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