Southbridge: Robert O. "Bob" Mahan,86, passed away on Monday, Jan. 21st , in the Southbridge Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center after a short illness.
His wife of 59 years, Patricia A. "Patty" (Fafard) Mahan passed away on Nov 18th, 2017. He leaves his three children; a sister.
Robert was born in Southbridge, the son of the late Ralph and Eva (Mellor) Mahan and lived here all of his life. He and his sister were raised by their mother, as their father passed away when Bob was nine.
Bob was very proud of the fact that he was a published author. In 2010, a compilation of poems that he had written decades earlier was published by Tate Publishing. The title of the paperback was "Inspirational Seasons". A longtime family friend gave him the inspiration to do this; the book is dedicated to him. A copy was on his night stand at the nursing home, and all that anybody had to do was ask about it and he would recite his poems "verbatim", especially his favorite entitled, "You Mean So Much to Me".
As a youth, Bob was an exceptional athlete, playing baseball and basketball. After playing baseball for Cole Trade Vocational High School, serving as a pitcher, he was scouted by, and tried out for, the Boston Braves but did not pursue an athletic career. Shortly after graduating from high school, he served two years in the US Army in the Korean War. He was stationed in Pusan, guarding the prisoners of war.
After returning to Southbridge, Bob started working for Leon Dandurand, a painting contractor. He married Patty in October 1958 and then went to work for T.P. Morin, another painting contractor. Shortly after their oldest was born, he started working in the maintenance department of American Optical Co., a position in which he remained for over 30 years before his retirement. While there, he worked a lot of "outside jobs", as he was an exceptional painter. He also worked part time for his daughter and son-in-law, helping with their industrial cleaning contract business, doing the "graveyard shift".
Bob enjoyed going to the races, first the horses and then the dogs. He loved playing cards, especially pinochle, and, most recently, Texas Hold-'em. He learned how to play bocce from an Italian friend, became quite a good player, and was eventually given his own set. In later years, he and Patty enjoyed visiting his daughter and her husband in Mashpee.
Bob was a hard worker and would do anything for his family. But, most notably, he was always there for his children and grandchildren. He was quiet, easygoing and always enjoyed the simple things in life.
Burial in St. Mary's Cemetery, Southbridge, will be held at a later date.
Published in Worcester Telegram & Gazette from Feb. 2 to Feb. 3, 2019
His wife of 59 years, Patricia A. "Patty" (Fafard) Mahan passed away on Nov 18th, 2017. He leaves his three children; a sister.
Robert was born in Southbridge, the son of the late Ralph and Eva (Mellor) Mahan and lived here all of his life. He and his sister were raised by their mother, as their father passed away when Bob was nine.
Bob was very proud of the fact that he was a published author. In 2010, a compilation of poems that he had written decades earlier was published by Tate Publishing. The title of the paperback was "Inspirational Seasons". A longtime family friend gave him the inspiration to do this; the book is dedicated to him. A copy was on his night stand at the nursing home, and all that anybody had to do was ask about it and he would recite his poems "verbatim", especially his favorite entitled, "You Mean So Much to Me".
As a youth, Bob was an exceptional athlete, playing baseball and basketball. After playing baseball for Cole Trade Vocational High School, serving as a pitcher, he was scouted by, and tried out for, the Boston Braves but did not pursue an athletic career. Shortly after graduating from high school, he served two years in the US Army in the Korean War. He was stationed in Pusan, guarding the prisoners of war.
After returning to Southbridge, Bob started working for Leon Dandurand, a painting contractor. He married Patty in October 1958 and then went to work for T.P. Morin, another painting contractor. Shortly after their oldest was born, he started working in the maintenance department of American Optical Co., a position in which he remained for over 30 years before his retirement. While there, he worked a lot of "outside jobs", as he was an exceptional painter. He also worked part time for his daughter and son-in-law, helping with their industrial cleaning contract business, doing the "graveyard shift".
Bob enjoyed going to the races, first the horses and then the dogs. He loved playing cards, especially pinochle, and, most recently, Texas Hold-'em. He learned how to play bocce from an Italian friend, became quite a good player, and was eventually given his own set. In later years, he and Patty enjoyed visiting his daughter and her husband in Mashpee.
Bob was a hard worker and would do anything for his family. But, most notably, he was always there for his children and grandchildren. He was quiet, easygoing and always enjoyed the simple things in life.
Burial in St. Mary's Cemetery, Southbridge, will be held at a later date.
Published in Worcester Telegram & Gazette from Feb. 2 to Feb. 3, 2019
Southbridge: Robert O. "Bob" Mahan,86, passed away on Monday, Jan. 21st , in the Southbridge Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center after a short illness.
His wife of 59 years, Patricia A. "Patty" (Fafard) Mahan passed away on Nov 18th, 2017. He leaves his three children; a sister.
Robert was born in Southbridge, the son of the late Ralph and Eva (Mellor) Mahan and lived here all of his life. He and his sister were raised by their mother, as their father passed away when Bob was nine.
Bob was very proud of the fact that he was a published author. In 2010, a compilation of poems that he had written decades earlier was published by Tate Publishing. The title of the paperback was "Inspirational Seasons". A longtime family friend gave him the inspiration to do this; the book is dedicated to him. A copy was on his night stand at the nursing home, and all that anybody had to do was ask about it and he would recite his poems "verbatim", especially his favorite entitled, "You Mean So Much to Me".
As a youth, Bob was an exceptional athlete, playing baseball and basketball. After playing baseball for Cole Trade Vocational High School, serving as a pitcher, he was scouted by, and tried out for, the Boston Braves but did not pursue an athletic career. Shortly after graduating from high school, he served two years in the US Army in the Korean War. He was stationed in Pusan, guarding the prisoners of war.
After returning to Southbridge, Bob started working for Leon Dandurand, a painting contractor. He married Patty in October 1958 and then went to work for T.P. Morin, another painting contractor. Shortly after their oldest was born, he started working in the maintenance department of American Optical Co., a position in which he remained for over 30 years before his retirement. While there, he worked a lot of "outside jobs", as he was an exceptional painter. He also worked part time for his daughter and son-in-law, helping with their industrial cleaning contract business, doing the "graveyard shift".
Bob enjoyed going to the races, first the horses and then the dogs. He loved playing cards, especially pinochle, and, most recently, Texas Hold-'em. He learned how to play bocce from an Italian friend, became quite a good player, and was eventually given his own set. In later years, he and Patty enjoyed visiting his daughter and her husband in Mashpee.
Bob was a hard worker and would do anything for his family. But, most notably, he was always there for his children and grandchildren. He was quiet, easygoing and always enjoyed the simple things in life.
Burial in St. Mary's Cemetery, Southbridge, will be held at a later date.
Published in Worcester Telegram & Gazette from Feb. 2 to Feb. 3, 2019
His wife of 59 years, Patricia A. "Patty" (Fafard) Mahan passed away on Nov 18th, 2017. He leaves his three children; a sister.
Robert was born in Southbridge, the son of the late Ralph and Eva (Mellor) Mahan and lived here all of his life. He and his sister were raised by their mother, as their father passed away when Bob was nine.
Bob was very proud of the fact that he was a published author. In 2010, a compilation of poems that he had written decades earlier was published by Tate Publishing. The title of the paperback was "Inspirational Seasons". A longtime family friend gave him the inspiration to do this; the book is dedicated to him. A copy was on his night stand at the nursing home, and all that anybody had to do was ask about it and he would recite his poems "verbatim", especially his favorite entitled, "You Mean So Much to Me".
As a youth, Bob was an exceptional athlete, playing baseball and basketball. After playing baseball for Cole Trade Vocational High School, serving as a pitcher, he was scouted by, and tried out for, the Boston Braves but did not pursue an athletic career. Shortly after graduating from high school, he served two years in the US Army in the Korean War. He was stationed in Pusan, guarding the prisoners of war.
After returning to Southbridge, Bob started working for Leon Dandurand, a painting contractor. He married Patty in October 1958 and then went to work for T.P. Morin, another painting contractor. Shortly after their oldest was born, he started working in the maintenance department of American Optical Co., a position in which he remained for over 30 years before his retirement. While there, he worked a lot of "outside jobs", as he was an exceptional painter. He also worked part time for his daughter and son-in-law, helping with their industrial cleaning contract business, doing the "graveyard shift".
Bob enjoyed going to the races, first the horses and then the dogs. He loved playing cards, especially pinochle, and, most recently, Texas Hold-'em. He learned how to play bocce from an Italian friend, became quite a good player, and was eventually given his own set. In later years, he and Patty enjoyed visiting his daughter and her husband in Mashpee.
Bob was a hard worker and would do anything for his family. But, most notably, he was always there for his children and grandchildren. He was quiet, easygoing and always enjoyed the simple things in life.
Burial in St. Mary's Cemetery, Southbridge, will be held at a later date.
Published in Worcester Telegram & Gazette from Feb. 2 to Feb. 3, 2019
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