Deacon Joseph V. Clonan Jr., 81

FITCHBURG – Deacon Joseph V. Clonan Jr., 81, died May 12 in the River Terrace Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Lancaster with his family by his side.
Joseph was born July 21, 1938, in Lackawanna New York, son of Joseph V. and Jane (Callaghan) Clonan. He had been a resident of Fitchburg for 56 years. He graduated from Canisius College in 1961 with a bachelor’s degree in English and earned his master’s degree in counseling from Fitchburg State University. He was a Korea and Vietnam Veteran serving in the U.S. Army. Joseph retired from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1999 where he had been a probation officer. For years he had been a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Fitchburg and in 2005 he was ordained a deacon and assigned to St. Joseph the Good Provider Parish in Berlin. Before retiring he served one year as a deacon at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Fitchburg.
He leaves his wife of 58 years, Judith (Malone) Clonan; three sons, Joseph V. Clonan III of Fitchburg, Sean D. and his wife Suzanne Clonan of Port St. Lucie, Florida and Kevin S. and his wife Melissa Clonan of Leominster; three daughters, Colleen and her husband Neil Thomas of Milford, Dierdre Clonan of Gardner and Kathleen Clonan of Fitchburg; eight grandchildren, Timothy, Cassandra, Cameron, Trevor, Tyler, Kiera, Finnigan and Cillian, one great grandson, Kellen; three brothers, Daniel, Patrick and Michael; six sisters, Mary Ellen, Noreen, Veronica, Rita, Catherine and Brigid, many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Joseph was predeceased by his brother David and sisters Jeannette and Margaret.
Funeral services will be private and burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Dansville, New York. A celebration of Joe’s life will be held at a later date.
Donations to the Alzheimer’s Association would be appreciated.
Stephen R. Moorcroft, Lavery, Chartrand, Alario Funeral Home in Fitchburg is assisting the family with arrangements.