Matthew A. McGrath, age 65, a lifelong resident of Concord, died unexpectedly at his home on Tuesday, January 10. He was the devoted husband for 17 years of Catherine (Cooper) McGrath.
Matt was born in Cambridge on March 16, 1957, as the son of the late Leo McGrath, Jr. and Elizabeth (Lynah) McGrath. He was a proud graduate of Middlesex School in Concord, on whose team he played a highly competitive game of basketball, and subsequently, he went on to earn a degree in history at Drew University in Madison, NJ. Upon his graduation from Drew, Matt enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, honorably serving from 1979 until 1984. He achieved the rank of First Lieutenant, and earned the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Matt formerly worked in ground operations for Shuttle America and at the USS Constitution Museum. He was a longtime member of the 1812 Marine Guard for the USS Constitution, and he also cherished his association with the Patriot Chapter of the International Plastic Modelers’ Society. Matt was an avid reader, a passionate Celtics fan and a metal detector enthusiast.
In addition to his wife, he will be forever missed by two daughters, Courtney Cronkhite and her husband Justin of Whitefield, ME and Sheryl Landry and her husband Andrew of Woonsocket, RI, his grandson, Abe, a brother, Owen McGrath and his wife Ruby of Newark, CA, one niece, Helen, and three nephews, Leo, Thomas and Joseph.
Family and friends are invited to gather for visiting hours on Wednesday, January 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord Center. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, January 19 at 10 a.m. in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, 282 Still River Road, Harvard. Burial with U.S. Marine Corps military honors will follow at St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Concord.
Concord’s Town Flag will fly at half-staff on Thursday, January 19th in recognition of Matt’s faithful service to our country.
Contributions in his memory may be made to Saint Benedict Center, P.O. Box 1000, Harvard, MA 01451.
Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence in Matt’s online guestbook, please visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.
