Robert N. Hennessy ’36

HennesseyRobert N. Hennessy died peacefully Friday July 26, 2013 at his beloved home in Westborough at the age of 95.

Bob was born November 18, 1917 in Holyoke, MA. A life long resident of Westborough, he graduated from Westborough High School, Clark University, and Harvard Dental School. He later trained as an orthodontist at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. While at Harvard he enlisted in the Navy and served as the dentist aboard the USS Starlight, a WWII naval transport ship operating in the Pacific.

After returning home from the war, he established an office in Worcester where he practiced orthodonture for 59 years. He was a member of the American and the Massachusetts Dental Societies for 68 years and served on the Ethics Committee and as Trustee and Chairman in the Worcester District Dental Society.

A true advocate for nature and avid outdoorsman, he made an annual drive to Grand Teton National Park, a trip he last made at the age of 85. Dr. Hennessy’s farm on Denny St. is well known to all for its careful landscaping, open pastures and beautiful Arabian horses. He was an active member in the Arabian Horse Associations of New England and Massachusetts and contributed positively to the development of the breed. In his retirement, he devoted time to the Ident-A-Kid Program through the Westborough Police Department and enjoyed time with his family in Tuftonboro, NH where he had summered since 1957.

He leaves his wife Jeanette, his daughter Ananya Hixon of San Anselmo, CA, his son and daughter-in-law, Drs. R. Brian Hennessy and Abigail Adams of Boylston, MA, his daughter and son-in-law, Drs. Joanne and Mark Huyler of Hatfield, MA, and his sister Barbara Patten of Indialantic, Fl. He leaves 5 grand children: Byron Hixon of Minneapolis, MN, Adam Hixon of Portand, OR, Dr. Christy Clark of Boylston, MA, Christopher Huyler of Orford, NH, Annie Huyler of Hershey, PA. and  5 great-grandchildren. He also leaves his former wife and friend Mary B. Hennessy of Shrewsbury MA.

A beloved figure in Westborough, Dr. Hennessy served as the grand marshal for the town’s Veterans Day celebration in 2009, an honor that he cherished. A private family service with military honors will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dr. Hennessy’s memory may be made to the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, PO Box 766, Center Harbor, NH 03226, http://www.lrct.org/ or the Westborough Historical Society, 13 Parkman Street, Westborough, MA 10581, http://www.westborough.com/Westborough-History

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