Kenneth H. MacLean

 Kenneth H. MacLean left this life on June 6th, 2024. He was 76. Ken was born in Quincy to Hubert and Sue (Giusti) MacLean. Growing up in a large, loving family in "the Point" he remembered his first job as helping to load the horse drawn cart of Hymie Levine the junk man. Ken was 8 years old and remained a hardworking man the rest of this life. 

Ken was a noted storyteller. Many of the sibling luncheons he organized would be enlivened by a tale that began... “Did I ever tell you about...” and ended with his audience laughing or amazed.

 Many Quincy friends will remember "Mucca" on the basketball court where he made life- long friends. A highlight of those days was a pick-up game with some visiting Celtics players on the courts of Quincy High. 

In 1966, Ken joined the Army, and went to Vietnam, 1966 to 1968. His wartime memories and stories remained vivid even 50 years later. He remembered Vietnam as a beautiful country and respected the people for successfully rebuilding their lives. 

Upon returning from Vietnam, his jobs included managing and opening Bicycle Revival stores in Massachusetts and Florida for the late Joe Birch. In 1977, Ken joined Local 88, the Tunnnelworkers Union out of Quincy, and made it his career for 32 years. In that time, he became a highly skilled professional in that tough and dangerous business. Starting as a "sandhog", in a 360-foot-deep tunnel and working all through the Big Dig in Boston, he rose through the ranks as Vice President, Business Agent, Safety Coordinator, and finally was elected to 3 terms as Business Manager. He retired in 2009. 

Travels to the Cape, Maine, and Florida followed, always to a place on the beach or on the lake. Love of the ocean was a thread that ran through Ken's life. He lived on the bay in Hull for 40 years and was never more relaxed than when cruising through the Boston Harbor Islands on his boat "Wanderer" or, in later years, watching the epic sunsets at Hull Gut, his "happy place". 

He overcame childhood polio, lived with the physical and emotional impacts of Vietnam, and sustained some serious injuries in tunnelwork- but he never let any of these things define or limit his life. He was a survivor. 

He leaves his loving partner of many years, Nancy Curtin of Hull, and loving siblings Carol Lewis of Braintree, Doug and RanMei MacLean of Randoph, Arleen Derbes of Quincy, Sharon MacLean and Ed Baker of Exeter RI, Lois and Barry Roark of Plymouth, and stepson Jonathan Turbitt and family of Worcester. He also leaves behind 9 loving nieces and nephews, and 16 great nieces and nephews, all of whom he loved dearly. He was predeceased by his sister Lorraine Jones of Medfield. 

Visiting hours will be held on Sunday June 30, 2024, from 2-5 PM at Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock Street, in Quincy. 

In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shriners Children's Hospital or the Wounded Warrior Project, or plant some Cosmos, Ken’s favorite flower. 

At a later date, there will be a ceremony with full Military Honors at Bourne National Veterans Cemetery, Bourne, MA. 

A seagoing ceremony off Hull Gut will also be held, at Ken’s request. 

Ken MacLean was a tough, kind, loyal man who always gave his best to any endeavor. He will be greatly missed, and on this, his last voyage, his friends and family wish him “a fair wind and a following sea”.