William H. Sheehan Jr.

He was predeceased by his beloved wife of nearly fifty-nine years, Hannah (McVann). He is survived by his children, Attorney William H. Sheehan III of Topsfield and his wife Elizabeth (Lynch), John J. Sheehan of Dennis and his wife Peggy (White), Joanne M. O’Keefe of Danvers (her late husband was William J. O’Keefe), and Laurie A. Lundergan of Danvers and her husband Daniel.

As soon as he was seventeen, Mr. Sheehan enlisted in the Marine Corps at the end of World War II and participated in the occupation of Japan. He was a graduate of Lynn English High School and received a bachelor’s degree from Salem State College. As a senior at Salem State College he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve, rising to the rank of Captain in a thirty year Reserve career, during which he commanded Naval Reserve Security Group units in Salem, Lynn, Quincy, Brockton, Boston, and Worcester.

Mr. Sheehan taught in the Lynn Public Schools from 1951 to 1987, all but five years at English High School, where he directed the English Department for many years. He was inducted into the inaugural class of the English High School Hall of Fame in 1996.

Mr. Sheehan’s passions were his family and education. He was openly proud of the academic achievements of his adult grandchildren, who all graduated with honors from fine universities: Catherine Sheehan (Harvard); William Sheehan IV (Notre Dame); Abigail Sheehan (Yale); Maura O’Keefe (Jefferson Scholar at the University of Virginia); and Megan O’Keefe (Harvard); and of his youngest grandchild Sean Lundergan who attends Holten-Richmond Middle School.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, December 9 from 5:00 to 8:00pm at the Conway Cahill Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn Street, Peabody. His visitation will also be held from 10-11 a.m. in the Nickerson Funeral Home, 87 Crowell Road, Chatham, MA followed by A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, December 10 at 11:30am at Holy Redeemer Church in Chatham. Interment will follow in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Redeemer Church, 57 Highland Ave., P.O. Box 687, Chatham, MA 02633. For online condolences and directions, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com