John J. "Jack" O'Coin

John J. "Jack" O'Coin, 96, formerly of Auburn, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 5, 2018. He was born and raised in Worcester, a son of the late Edward and Kathleen (Mahoney) O'Coin.

Jack was part of a large, close-knit Irish family growing up in Worcester during the Great Depression. His parents provided him, and his siblings with a strong foundation and a sense of discipline that Jack carried throughout his life. He graduated from St. Peter's High School and attended The College of the Holy Cross.

Like so many others at the time, Jack enlisted in the US Army during World War II. During his four years of service, Jack spent much of his deployment in the China, Burma India theatre. Jack departed from Newport News, VA headed to the Pacific when he witnessed the sinking of the HMS Rona, off the coast of North Africa on Thanksgiving Day in 1943, one of the worst troop transports to be torpedoed by the Germans. He spent most of his deployment in Assam, India before his discharge in 1946. Jack became an active member of the local chapter of the CBI Chapter, serving as the president until it disbanded in 1995. He was also a member of the Chester P. Tuttle American Legion Post in Auburn for more than 60 years. Following his return to Worcester, Jack met a young woman who stole his heart, Barbara Whalen. She truly was the love of his life as they journeyed through their 40-year marriage. Jack and Barbara settled in Auburn in 1951. While staying active with his children, Jack became actively involved in Auburn Little League as a founding member, as well as serving as a coach and treasurer for Auburn Youth Hockey for many years. Jack relocated to Grafton in 1996, and was devoted to following his grandchildren's activities. He also looked forward to the time he spent with family and friends at the summer home in Wells, Maine he and Barbara purchased in 1986. Jack was a former member of St. Joseph's Parish in Auburn and St. James Parish in South Grafton. He was also a longtime member of the Auburn Council, Knights of Columbus.

Jack spent more than 39 years with New England Telephone, retiring as a marketing manager. He was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America. He also served as a director for Allcom Credit Union, formerly Central Mass Telephone Workers' Credit Union.

Sadly, Jack was predeceased by his beloved wife, Barbara in 1989. He will be lovingly remembered and forever missed by his four children; John P. "Jay" O'Coin and his wife, Sheila of Gorham, ME, Jane Mattrick and her husband, William, with whom he lived, Michael O'Coin and his wife, Barbara of East Walpole and Kathleen Reilly and her husband, Edward of Grafton; his sister, Virginia Ford of Paxton; his brother-in-law, Angelo Pappas of Worrcester; his nine grandchildren, Colleen O'Coin Hicks, Michael Mattrick, Brian O'Coin, Kathryn Mattrick, Michael O'Coin, Edward Reilly, Matthew Mattrick, Ryan O'Coin and Erin Reilly; four great grandchildren; as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his six siblings, Robert O'Coin, Mary Binienda, Kathleen Brodeur, Margaret Pappas, Anne McGrail and Joseph O'Coin.

Family and friends are invited to Jack's Life Celebration and visiting hours on Wednesday, August 8th from 4-7 p.m. at the Callahan, Fay & Caswell Funeral Home, 61 Myrtle Street, Worcester and again on Thursday, August 9th from 8:30 a.m. until the procession leaves for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. James Church, 89 Main Street, South Grafton. Burial with military honors will follow in St. John's Cemetery, Worcester. Memorial donations instead of flowers may be made to the Joslin Diabetes Center, 1 Joslin Pl., Suite 745, Boston, MA 02215. To share a memory or leave an online condolence for the family, please sign the guestbook.