Keohane Funeral Home

The Honorable Gerald J. Morrissey, Sr. of Boston and Cotuit MA, passed away on May 2, 2018 at the age of 90.

Mr. Morrissey is the son of the late William J. and Anne E. (O’Rourke) Morrissey. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Karen M. (Brown) Morrissey and his five children, Gerald J. Morrissey, Jr. & his wife, Joanne of Milton, Kathleen Morrissey of Arlington, Patricia Lyons & her husband, Thomas of Pembroke, Sheila Schmuttenmaer & her husband, Mark of Halifax, and Sean M. Morrissey & his wife, Catherine, of Weymouth. He is predeceased by his former wife, Eleanor (Walsh) Morrissey, and their infant son Joseph.

He was the proud grandfather of Katelyn Schmuttenmaer Gabriel & Matthew Schmuttenmaer, Kathryn & Daniel Morrissey, and Molly & Jack Morrissey. He will be remembered fondly by many loving nieces and nephews. He is the brother of Theresa Murphy of Peabody, Celine Ray of Braintree, Doris McPhee of Weymouth and the late James A. Morrissey of Braintree. 

Mr. Morrissey was a U.S. Navy WWII veteran serving in the Western Pacific. He attended Boston College and received his JD from Portia Law School (New England School of Law). After his Naval service, Gerry was an Eastern League and American Association baseball umpire as well as a scout for the Cleveland Indians Baseball Club. He was the head football coach for Matignon High School in Cambridge, MA. He also proudly served the Commonwealth in a number of positions, including tenure as the Chief Secretary to Governor Foster Furcolo, a Member of the MA House of Representatives representing Dorchester’s Ward 17 (1963-1968), Deputy Secretary of State to Secretary John F. X. Daveron, Personnel Administrator for the State Senate, and as a long-serving Member and Chair of the Licensing Board for the City of Boston. 

Past Commander of AMVET Post #3 and the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 13.

He was a lifelong New England Patriots fan and an original season ticket holder.

Services from McDonald-Keohane Funeral Home, 40 Sea Street, North Weymouth, MA. on Sunday, May 6, 2018 from 4:00pm-8:00 pm. Funeral Mass will take place Monday, May 7, 2018 @ 11:00am at St Francis Xavier Church, Pleasant Street, Weymouth, Mass. Internment will be held with Naval Honors at the National Cemetery, Bourne, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Gerry’s name to First Literacy, 160 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02111 – www.firstliteracy.org.