Donald M. Deware

DEWARE, Donald M. of Quincy, passed away surrounded by his family on July 14, 2011, at the age of 95. Survived by his beloved wife of 54 years Mary E. (Maloney) Deware. Loving father of Capt. Jacklyn Deware Webb U.S.N. of Arlington, VA and D. Scott Deware and his wife Melanie of Easton. Devoted grandfather of Chandler Webb of Boston, Lily, Bethany, and Eden Deware of Easton. Brother of the late Robert M. Deware, Majel Forrest and Isabell Mooney. Brother in law of Lois Deware of Wollaston. Also survived by 3 nieces. Dear friend of Paula MacDonald and loving caregiver Amanda Garcia.

Mr. Deware was the son of a Nazarene Minister who traveled throughout Eastern Canada, the Mid-West and Northeast preaching at Gospel Meetings and Tent Revivals. Because of his father’s travels Mr. Deware and all of his siblings were born in different states. Much of his young life was spent in South Portland, ME, and Providence RI. He moved to Quincy in his late teens. As a teenager Mr. Deware worked for Howard Johnson in his first ice cream parlor. Mr. Deware graduated from the Eastern Nazarene Academy (later Eastern Nazarene College), attended Boston University School of Anatomy and Dermi-Surgery and graduated from Boston School of Anatomy and Embalming.

In 1939 Mr. Deware and his brother Robert bought a building on Hancock Street in the Wollaston section of Quincy that formerly housed a children’s theater and recital hall and opened the Deware Brothers Funeral Home. During an era when funerals were held in the deceased’s home, the Dewares were the first in the area to have a chapel designed to accommodate services at the funeral home.

In addition to the Funeral Home Mr. Deware ran one of the first private ambulance services in the area. During WWII the Deware Ambulance Service served the Quincy area and South Shore and was one of the first responders to the tragic Coconut Grove fire in Boston.

In 1957 Mr. Deware met his wife Mary after being introduced to her on a blind date. The chemistry was right and he proposed to her three days later. They were married less than a month after that. Later in life Mrs. Deware recalled that although she did not know if she would ever have a second date, she knew she had found the man of her dreams the moment they danced for the very first time.

Mr. Deware never looked at his profession as a job. To him it was a ministry and he ministered to the families of Quincy and the South Shore for over 60 years.

Mr. Deware was Past Master of the former Manet Masonic Lodge AF& AM, Quincy and a member of the Rural Masonic Lodge, AF&AM, Quincy and the Delta Masonic Lodge, AF&AM, Braintree. He was a 32 degree Mason and a member of the Massachusetts Consistory, Valley of Boston, the Pentalpha Royal Arch Lodge, Weymouth, the Weymouth and Friendship Council Royal and Select Masons, Past Commander of the former Quincy Commandery, Knights Templar and a member of the South Shore Commandery #15, Knights Templar. He was also a member of the Aleppo Shrine Temple Wilmington, the South Shore Shrine Club and the Gold Coast Shrine Club, Deerfield Beach, FL. Mr. Deware was Past Monarch of the Taleb Grotto, Quincy and a member of the New England Grotto Assn., a Past Patron of the former Wollaston Chapter #156 Order of Easter Star, Quincy and a member of the Braintree Chapter #167, OES and Past Pres. of the Wollaston Chapter #156 OES Jewel Club

He was a Past Councilor of the Wollaston Council of United Commercial Travelers of America, Past Grand Councilor of New England, UCT, Past Supreme Council Member for the North America, UCT and Past Supreme Council Chairperson of Necrology for North America, UCT. Within the New England Region Mr. Deware was Past President of the Chris Antonnelli Scholarship Fund for New England and Past President of the New England Grand Councilors Assn.

In Quincy, Mr. Deware was Past President of the Wollaston Professional and Businessman’s Assoc., a member for over 50 years of the Quincy Kiwanis and a member of the Kiwanis Legion of Honor. Other organizations that Mr. Deware was involved with included: Member of the Massachusetts Lodge #1 Odd Fellows, Quincy, the Furnace Brook Golf Club, Quincy, the former Wollaston Neighborhood Club Quincy, the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Assoc., the National Funeral Directors Assoc., the New England Institute Second Generation Club and St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church, Quincy.

A funeral service will be conducted on Monday, July 18th at St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church, Quincy at 10:00 a.m. Friends and family are invited to visit in the Deware Funeral Home, 576 Hancock St., Quincy (Wollaston) on Sunday from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

The Officers and Members of the Rural Masonic Lodge will perform a Masonic memorial service at 4:30PM at the Deware Funeral Home. All are welcome.

Burial will be held in Blue Hill Cemetery Braintree.

Donation in Donald’s memory may be made to St Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church, 1 Linden St. Quincy, MA 02170, or the William F. Low Scholarship Fund, C/O the Rural Masonic Lodge, 1170 Hancock St., Quincy MA 02169.

For online condolences or directions, please visit www.dewarefuneralhome.com