Basil F. Cronin

CRONIN, Basil F., Jr. of Hingham, died August 6, 2018 at home following a brief illness.

Beloved husband of Anne Cronin (Conlee) of Hingham. Cherished father of Mary Cronin of Quincy, Basil Cronin III and his wife Annie of Marshfield, AnneMarie Bird and her husband Steven of Shrewsbury, and Timothy Cronin of Hingham. Loving grandfather of Amy, John Basil, Brian and Liam Cronin, and Andrew and Caitlin Bird. Brother of Constance Maney, Elaine Cronin, John Cronin and his wife Joanne, Gail Glasheen and her husband Thomas, Michael Cronin and his wife Priscilla, Helen Ferrante and her husband James, Predeceased by his sister Mary Hughes and brother in law John Maney.

Basil was born in Weymouth, the eldest of eight children to Basil and Helen Kelleher. He lived in Hingham most of his entire life and was a lifelong communicant of St. Paul’s Church where he served in many ministries.

He graduated from Archbishop Williams H.S. (1955), Providence College (1959) and received Masters Degrees in Mathematics and Education from Syracuse University and Bridgewater State University. He also served in the Army Reserves.

Basil was an educator and coach for thirty-seven years at Sharon High School. He was Chairman of the Mathematics Department and the first Coordinator of the grade 7-12 mathematics program. It was the desire to coach sports that led Basil to a career in education. In his tenure as Boys Varsity Basketball Coach his teams won four Hockomock League Championships and were the only team in that league to win a Division II State Title (1991). He also coached the Girls Varsity Tennis teams which won sixteen League Championships. Basil was honored by the Boston Globe as Coach of the Year in both sports. Following retirement he served as an assistant basketball coach at Cohasset, Scituate and Boston College High Schools.

A most enjoyable avocation was Basil’s thirty years as a football official beginning in the high school ranks and graduating to the college level. He was Past President of the Eastern Mass Football Officials Assn. and was the recipient of the Murray Lewis Award as Official of the Year and the Gold Pass from the Eastern College Athletic Conference. As much as Basil loved sports as a player, coach, mentor, official and fan, he derived his greatest pleasure being involved in the many activities of his six grandchildren both on and off the court and field.

Basil and the love of his life, Anne, were married in August, 1966. Following their retirement from education they were rarely apart. Morning Mass, coffee with friends, great times on Cape Cod with their family, they enjoyed life to the fullest. They looked upon their extensive travels as an adventure and an opportunity to learn.

Basil’s family will remember him as generous in his love, compassion and commitment in every phase of their lives. His friends will be forever blessed by his loyalty, humility, broad smiles and warm hugs. Basil’s life can be summed up in three words; FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS and he was abundantly blessed in all three.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Thursday 3-8 PM in the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), HINGHAM. A Celebration of Life Service will be held in the funeral home at 9:45 AM on Friday prior to the Funeral Mass in St. Paul’s Church, Hingham at 10:30 AM. Burial in St. Paul’s Cemetery, Hingham.

The family respectfully requests that there be no flowers. St. Paul Church was an integral part of Basil’s life for eighty-one years. If one wishes, contributions to St. Paul’s Church, 147 North Street, Hingham, MA 02043 may be made in his name or to a charity of one’s choice.