QUINCY, Mass. – William J. Horne Jr., 100, a former longtime resident of Quincy, Mass. died peacefully, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021 in the Saint Joseph of Nazareth Convent of the Daughters of Mary of Nazareth in Quincy, Mass., surrounded by his loving family.

William was the son of the late William Sr., and Anna (Herlihy), of Cobh, Ireland and South Boston. Bill was born, raised, and educated in Boston. He attended the former St. Eulalia’s Elementary School in South Boston and was a graduate of Boston College High School, Class of 1938, Boston College where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1951, and later a master’s degree in Advanced Corporate Finance. He had lived in Wells for the past five years, previously in Quincy, Mass. for more than 60 years, and earlier in South Boston.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Bill enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps, and went on to participate in campaigns and air offensives in the South Pacific. Two weeks after the Battle of Iwo Jima, he climbed to the top of Mount Suribachi and sat under the American flag raised in the historic photo. Throughout his life, he often reflected on the emotions he felt in that moment.

During his time in Iwo Jima, Marion Boyce of Cambridge had been his pen pal. The two would become engaged just a few months after his homecoming, and married in September 1946. They went on to share 50 years of marriage until Marion’s passing in 1996.

Bill worked for 30 years at the former United Shoe Machinery Corporation where he was the Director of Management Information Systems and an Assistant Vice President for this global company, retiring in 1971.

He also worked for 46 years as a member of the Boston College Graduate Faculty in the Carroll School of Management.

In addition, he spent two years in Israel at Ben-Gurion University and two years in Poland at Jagiellonian University teaching finance and computer systems.

Bill was a longtime, cornerstone parishioner of Saint John the Baptist Church in Quincy, Mass. where he served in a variety of ministries with enthusiasm and grace.

Beloved husband of the late Marion G. (Boyce) Horne.

Devoted father of Richard D. Horne and his wife Anne M. (Damon) Horne of Randolph, Marianne E. Horne of Wells, Anita Horne Lawlor of Bellingham, Mass. and her late husband Edward F. Lawlor, Jr., and the late William J. Horne III and his surviving wife Susan A. (Ela) Smith of South Carolina; loving Papa of Angelique S. H. Sobol and her husband David of Norwich, Conn., Amanda D. McHale and her husband Sean of Attleboro, Mass., Rebecca A. Horne of Providence, R.I., Shane S. Young of Portland, Katherine E. Camerano and her husband Michael of Canton, Mass., Benjamin J. Lawlor and his wife Kristen of Barnstead, N.H., and Michael E. Lawlor and his wife Angela of Hatboro, Pa.; cherished great-grandpapa of Connor and Finn McHale, Madeline and Michael Camerano, John Andrew Lawlor, Molly Rose and Shannon Lawlor; Bill is also survived by many nieces, nephews, friends, and his compassionate caregivers of the last three years, especially Holly Dee.

He was predeceased by his beloved wife; son; and parents; as well as his siblings, Eileen Horne, Leo Horne, and John Horne.

Visiting hours will be held at the Sweeney Brothers Home for Funerals, 1 Independence Ave., Quincy, Mass. on Friday, Oct. 1, from 4 to 7 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in Saint John the Baptist Church, 44 School St., Quincy, Mass., on Saturday, Oct. 2, at 10 a.m. Interment, with military honors, to follow at Mount Wollaston Cemetery, Quincy, Mass.

You are invited to visit http://www.thesweeneybrothers.com or call 617-472-6344.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s memory may be made to the Daughters of Mary of Nazareth, whose Sisters bestowed immense kindness in his last days, for which the Horne family is truly grateful. Donations can be mailed to the

Daughters of Mary of Nazareth,

P.O. Box 690789,

Quincy, MA 02269

Copy the Story Link