Hilda P. Kalaghan

Hingham, MA

Mrs. Hilda P. Kalaghan (Schnabel) passed peacefully from this world on June 28, 2013 at Harbor House in Hingham in the company of family at her side following many years of declining health.  A resident of East Weymouth, she formerly resided in Braintree for 27 years and was a congregant of Saint John’s Catholic Church.  She resided in Alexandria, Virginia prior to that time.

Born in Boston as the youngest daughter to a very large family, Mrs. Kalaghan was raised and educated in the city and graduated from South Boston High School, followed then by extensive education and training in all facets of art.  It was also at this time that she was employed by the Polaroid Corporation of Cambridge, Ma.  An accomplished artist in her own right, she would go on to be an often-invited guest and judge for art and talent fairs and was an active member of the Arch Diocesan Art Fairs and a member of the Botolphian Club of Boston College.  Many of her early pieces still hang today in homes of family and others across the south shore of Boston.  In addition to her art skills, she also donated many years of her life as a volunteer to tutor children and special needs students and promote literacy and reading skills, one of her passions.  

She was the daughter of the late Sarah Kelley-Schnabel of Boston.  She was the wife of the late Joseph H. Kalaghan, Jr. of Braintree and Alexandria, Virginia.  Following their marriage, they resided in Boston until after World War II, and like many, relocated to the south shore suburbs to raise their children by the beaches with a focus on education, etiquette, love of animals, water sports and sailing which they would continue to enjoy throughout their lives.  During the Nixon administration, Mr. Kalaghan’s career with the US Naval Seas Systems Command relocated them to metro Washington D.C. where they would reside until retirement in the 1980s.  This career opportunity took them all over the world on business travel from Majorca to Africa to Hawaii to The Phillipines and everywhere in between.  During this exciting time in history, she would volunteer extensively and was well-known as a consummate and popular Washingtonian hostess.  Her generosity, charitable giving and donations earned Mrs. Kalaghan a reputation of significance.  She was also a member of the Championship Mount Vernon Ladies Bowling League and the National Association of Federal Employees.

Mrs. Kalaghan was predeceased by her husband as well as all of her siblings and parents.  She was also predeceased by her beloved son, the late Mark J. Kalaghan of Quincy and her granddaughter, the late Beth Kalaghan-Perkins of Franklin.  She is survived immediately by a son, Robert P. Kalaghan of Back Bay and Palm Beach, Florida; a grandson, Kevin M. Kalaghan of Milford; a granddaughter, Laurie A. Kalaghan of Boston and Norfolk, MA and a great-grandson, Joseph Kalaghan, also of Milford.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the services on Tuesday from 9 – 10 AM in the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home SOUTH WEYMOUTH at 809 Main Street (Rte 18 opp. So. Shore Hospital).  Funeral Mass in Immaculate Conception Church, Weymouth at 10:30 AM. Burial service immediately following to be PRIVATE. 

At the request of the deceased and keeping in the spirit of her love for ALL animals, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to MSPCA, 350 S. Huntington Ave., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 or to your local animal rescue program or please adopt a rescue animal in Mrs. Kalaghan’s memory.