Former town moderator dies at 82

Michael P. Curran, Esq., 82, passed away peacefully Monday, May 11, in his home with his family at his side after a long illness.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Marilyn, married 56 ½ years; his children, Stephen of Canton, Maurice and his wife, Sue, of Upper Saddle River, NJ; Alison and her husband, John, of Roswell, GA; and Megan of Canton. He had great love for his eight grandchildren: Dr. Erin Curran, Ashley Curran Nandi, Kaylie Curran, Alex Curran, Kevin Curran, Michael Hashimoto, James Hashimoto, and the great light in his life, Lucia Curran-Barker. He also leaves behind his sisters Eileen and her husband, Bob Mahar, of Northampton and Peggy Dowd of Westfield, and his “brother” of 76 years, Charlie Smith, of Holyoke/Chicopee.

Curran served in the Army in “Big Red One” during the Korean War. He was a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the New England School of Law. From 1961 to 1966 he served as the first executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association (formerly the Mass. League of Cities and Towns). During the summer of 1966 he became staff director of the Special Commission on Implementation of the Municipal Home Rule Amendment to the State Constitution.

Beginning in 1967 he engaged in the general practice of law, specializing in what became his career-long passion: municipal organization and bylaws, for which he was hailed as a “small time Thomas Jefferson.” Curran served as counsel to elected charter commissions in more than 60 cities, towns and counties in Massachusetts, and as a consultant to appointed committees in dozens more. Attorney Curran was tremendously committed to the town of Canton, serving as town moderator for over a decade and as town counsel from 1990 to 2002. He served as president of the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association and was awarded the association’s President’s Award in the year 2000.

He was deeply proud of his Irish roots and was passionately committed to the Democratic Party as well as the Knights of Columbus and his parish, St. Gerard’s, where he served as a Eucharistic minister, usher and co-chair with his wife of the pre-cana marriage program. He was a vociferous reader — subscribing to three daily newspapers — and an avid follower of current events who could converse with anyone from senator to janitor, with great kindness, compassion and very dry humor.

Visiting hours at the Dockray & Thomas Funeral Home, 455 Washington Street, Sunday from 4-8 p.m. Funeral mass in St. Gerard Majella Church in Canton Monday at 10 a.m. Burial Canton Corner Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Michael’s memory to the Canton Veterans Service Department, 801 Washington St., Canton, MA 02021, or to “Music Counts,” c/o Canton Public Schools, P.O. Box 182, Canton, MA 02021. For guestbook, see dockrayandthomasfuneralhome.com.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=29474

Posted by Canton Citizen on May 14 2015. Filed under Featured Content, Obituaries. Both comments and pings are currently closed.