Leonard Charles Mahony

Leonard C. Mahony, 73, of Milford, NH, formerly of Nashua & Hudson, NH, passed away Thursday, December 2, 2021, after a brief illness.

Leonard is survived by his beloved only daughter, Heather A. (Mahony) Nixon, her husband Paul J. Nixon, and his grandchildren of whom he was so proud, Asa J. Nixon and Claire E. Nixon, all of West Townsend, MA; his sisters Carole A. Bonnell of Manchester, NH and Elaine F. Adamo of Port Richey, FL; a niece who was especially dear to him, Trice C. (Mahony) Cave and her husband and children of Kennebunk, ME; nephews Ronald and Michael Mahony, of Cape Cod, MA; uncles Lester and Lawrence Mahony, both of Mt. Dora, FL; and dear cousins Barry Smith of Sterling, VA, Frances (Mahony) Potvin, James Mahony, and Lynne (Mahony) Keefe, all of Mt. Dora, FL.

He is also survived by his former wife Nancy (Glass) Mahony of Nashua, NH, his step-grandchildren, Matthew P. and Emily A. Nixon, and his brothers and sisters-in-law through the Glass family, with whom he always remained close: James Rust of Nashua, NH; Sandra (Glass) Gormely of Florence, MA; Susan (Glass) and her husband Anthony Zographos of Indian Harbour Beach, FL; Sally Glass of York, ME, and Linda (Glass) and her husband Gary Hatch of Townsend, MA; as well as the many nieces and nephews on the Glass side of the family, of whom he had many fond memories.

Leonard was predeceased by his parents, as well as his two brothers, Ronald T. and Kenneth L. Mahony, his long- time partner, Carmen MacNeil of Chelmsford, MA, and his aunt, Joyce Hagenloch of Falmouth, MA. He is also predeceased by his brother-in-law Richard Gormely, and sister-in-law Carol (Glass) Rust.

Leonard, known to most as Len or Lenny, was born on March 7, 1948 in Cambridge, MA, the youngest of five children, to Lloyd G. and Ruth V. (Hedberg) Mahony. His childhood years were spent in Henniker, NH, and the family later moved to Carlisle, MA, where he graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School in 1966.

After graduating from High School, Leonard proudly joined the United States Marine Corps, where he attained the rank of Sergeant. His military service included a 1967-1968 tour of duty in Vietnam as a Field Artillery Cannoneer with the 1st Marine Division. Subsequent to that, he attended Onslow Technical Institute in Jacksonville, NC, where he received an Associate’s Degree in Architectural Drafting and Surveying – the field in which he would make his career until his retirement.

Leonard loved nature and being outdoors, so land survey was a perfect fit for him. Growing up in Henniker, he always enjoyed exploring the woods, and later hunting and camping with his father and older brothers; he also became a talented skier, a pastime his whole family enjoyed at local Pat’s Peak. He would later take up water skiing with future wife Nancy and her family on Lake Winnipesaukee, impressing all with his remarkable ability to maintain his balance in the most unforgiving of conditions – a skill he is remembered for to this day!

As a surveyor, his employment began with Nelson Engineering in Concord, MA where he remained for many years following his initial apprenticeship. It wasn’t long before he attained the position of Crew Chief there, for
Lenny was a humble and a modest man, but was quickly recognized and admired for his natural skills and strong work ethic, as well as his ability to lead.

Although more brief, he also did a stint surveying for the Boston and Maine Railroad, of which he was very proud, and would fondly reminisce. He traveled more for work during this time, and enjoyed recounting the different jobs and site locations with which he had been involved.

He spent his later working years as a Survey Crew Chief, under contract to the Massachusetts Highway Department, with Kurdish Associates, where he was proud to have worked on what was locally known as “The Little Dig” in Methuen, MA, involving the expansion of Route 113.

In Lenny’s young adulthood he enjoyed pastimes such as golfing with friends, and when his daughter was growing up, canoeing on the Squannicook river in Townsend, and walking in the woods and around the nearby beaver pond, with Heather, and their dog Samantha “Sammy.”

With Carmen, the second love of his life, he also enjoyed camping in the White Mountains, attending Native American Pow Wow’s together, and taking in live music, including Willie Nelson, whom they both revered, and the Eagles. Music was Lenny’s second love after nature. He sang in the United Methodist Church choir in Townsend in the 1980’s, and more recently had enjoyed singing Open Mic at the Union Coffee Shop in Milford.

He was Member of the Milford United Methodist Church of Milford, NH, and a regular Visitor at the Townsend Congregational Church in Townsend, MA where Heather is a Member.

SERVICES: Memorial Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 11, 2021 from 12-2pm at Townsend Congregational Church, 3 Brookline Street in Townsend, MA. A Memorial Service will follow visitation, 2:30pm at the church. All are invited to join the family for refreshments & reminiscing in Fellowship Hall (adjacent to the church) immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any of the following, or a charity that is dear to you: SHARE at https://www.sharenh.org/, St. Jude Hospital at https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html, Any Veteran’s Organization, or the ASPCA at https://www.aspca.org/.