Former Mayor Of Newton, Tom Concannon, 78, Dies

NEWTON, MA — Former Newton Mayor and civil servant Thomas Bernard Concannon Jr., of Newtonville, passed away on Saturday, July 28. He was 78 years old.

Concannon was born in Newton on November 10, 1939. He graduated from Newton High School in 1957 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 1961. He later received a master’s degree in elementary education from UMass Boston.

He taught fifth grade for three years in Maynard, before going to Suffolk University where he earned his law degree in 1969. He went on to practice family law for over 40 years. He loved the city of Newton where he spent his entire life, according to his obituary.

Concannon used to joke that he hadn’t moved 1,000 yards from where he was born, raising his daughters Kate and Maureen just a block away from his childhood home, according to his obituary.

The son of a Newton Police Sargeant and secretary for the Newton School system, he embraced his role in public service. He served as the Mayor of Newton from 1994-1997, prior to that he spent five terms on the city’s Board of Alderman. He was the former board President of NewTV and the Newton Cultural Alliance and he also served on the boards of the Newton Schools Foundation, Newton Council on Aging, and the Newton PTA Board of Directors.

He volunteered as an attorney helping seniors and survivors of domestic violence.

Concannon was known for his warm sense of humor and love of reading and quotes, which he would distribute to friends.

In a press release announcing his candidacy for the democratic seat in the Southern Middlesex Registry of Deeds in 2012, Concannon noted among his accomplishments that Newton was selected as the second safest city and had a triple AAA bond rating during his one term tenure as Newton mayor. He was preceded by Mayor Ted Mann and followed by Mayor David Cohen.

That same year, Concannon received a lifetime achievement award from NewTV and was named man of the year by the Newton Cultural Alliance.

Read his full obituary here: at the Burke Family Funeral Home website.

Funeral arrangements:

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, August 3rd at 10:30 a.m. in Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, 573 Washington St. Newton, followed by interment in Newton Cemetery. Visiting hours Thursday from 4-8 p.m. in the Burke & Blackington Funeral Home, 1479 Washington St. West Newton.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Newton Cultural Alliance at http://www.newtonculture.org/ or the Boys and Girls Club of Newton. https://www.newtonbgc.com/donate-1

File photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch