Robert J. Munnelly

Mr. Robert J. Munnelly, 79 of Nahant died Thursday in North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital with his family at his side. He was the loving husband to Janet L. (Fairbrother) Munnelly with whom he shared 3 years of marriage and the late Carol M. (Casey) Munnelly with whom he shared 47 years of marriage.

Bob was born in Greenwich, CT, son of the late Robert J. and Bridget (Leonard) Munnelly. He has lived in Nahant for the past 38 years. Bob was a graduate of Fairfield Prep Class of 1951, and New Haven Teachers College where he received his BS in 1955. He went on to Fairfield University where he received his Masters degree in Education. Bob also attended Harvard University where he received his Doctorate in Education in 1973.

Bob was a lifelong educator, serving as classroom teacher and administrator, professor at Northeastern University, Superintendent of Public Schools in Saugus, and both Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent of the Reading Public Schools until his retirement as Superintendent in 1995. Bob was proud of his 27 year record of innovative leadership in Reading, his extensive involvement in curriculum issues through the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, including serving as its President, and his lifelong commitment to arts education for all students. Following his retirement in 1995, Bob stayed active in educational issues by consulting on accreditation and other matters as Founding President for the Northeast Consortium for Staff Development, as a longstanding Board member for the Richard Milburn Academy Charter Schools in Florida, Texas and other states, and as a consultant with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE).

Bob was a United States Army veteran and served from 1956 to 1959 where he specialized in Army Counter Intelligence, including seeking to identify Eastern Bloc spies hidden among Hungarians seeking refugee status in the New York metropolitan area following the 1956 Soviet military action in that country. He later became a member of the National Counter Intelligence Corps Association.

He was a long time active communicant at St. Thomas Aquinas Church where he also served with the St. Vincent DePaul Society and served as its President. Bob truly enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and also enjoyed traveling, golfing, talking politics, being involved in numerous Nahant organizations and especially playing piano in locally-based Dixieland jazz bands. In addition to his wife Janet, Bob is survived by his devoted children Christopher P. Munnelly and his wife Laurie of Peabody, Atty. Robert J. Munnelly, Jr. and his wife Joan of Wellesley, Atty. Daniel P. Munnelly and his wife Colleen of Nahant, M.I.T. Police Officer Sean C. Munnelly and his wife Nanci of Litchfield, NH, Kevin D. Munnelly and his wife Marie of Swampscott and Donna Rosso and her husband George of Eliott, ME. He was the brother of Laurie Johnson of Clinton, CT, June Falcone and her husband Vincent of Naples, FL, Kevin V. Munnelly and his wife Miriam of San Diego, CA, Rita Dennin and her husband Atty. Lawrence of Holliston, MA and Eileen Skruck and her husband Patrick of Wilmington, NC. He was the proud grandfather to his 22 grandchildren and step-grandchildren and his 3 great grandchildren. Bob also is survived by many nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Bob’s Memorial Funeral Mass in St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Nahant on Thursday, August 1 at 10 AM. Memorial Visiting Hours will be in the Cuffe-McGinn Funeral Home 157 Maple St., Lynn on Wednesday, July 31, from 4:00-8:00 PM. Gifts in his memory may be made to St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 248 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908. Interment will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, Nahant.