Hill Happenings

I hope you are healthy and keeping a positive attitude during these trying times.

Hopefully at this printing the country will be about to reopen. Our Mission Hill businesses have been struggling during these arduous times, and I’ve been supporting the local restaurants that have been offering take-out service. Hopefully they’ll survive, aided by our renewed support when this crisis ends.

One Mission Hill business for sale is AC Hardware at 1562 Tremont St. That place understandably hasn’t been the same since the murder of its beloved owner, Andres Cruz, in July of 2017 during a robbery attempt at the store, after which three suspects were captured.

A tip of the hat to my friend, Mary “Mabs” Burns, a retired nurse, who used her sewing skill to make dozens of masks for her Mission Hill neighbors to help combat the virus.

With all the down time I searched for some books that were dispersed around my house. I sampled a few, but none of them were first-rate books. I didn’t realize how much I’d miss the Parker Hill Library, where the wonderful librarians order my books.  Being a choosy reader, I’m reminded of the great philosopher, Francis Bacon who said: “ Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested.”.

Condolences to the family of Eileen Sheehan, an extraordinary woman who passed away last month. Eileen had a sparkling smile and I always enjoyed chatting with her at Mike’s Donuts. Eileen, a ‘53 Mission High School graduate, loved Mission Church, where she worked for many years. RIP Eileen.

Teresa Clune (Walsh) passed away last month. She also volunteered her time at Mission Church and was a graduate of Mission High Class of ‘73. Teresa livened up the parishioners when she called out the numbers at the Mission Church bingo games. Teresa will be missed by family and her many friends from where she lived at Mission Park.

It was a downhearted month with several deaths of the past and present Mission Hill populace. We also lost the great hoopster, George Schlehuber, Mission High Class of ‘57. George is unanimously regarded as the best basketball player basketball from the Hill. More importantly, he was a good guy and a terrific family man.

Condolences to the family of Tom Cosby, who recently passed away. Tom, a former Hillside Street resident, was a World War II veteran. Thank you, Tom, for your service when our country needed you most.

David Payne, who interned for U.S. Sen. Ed Brooks in the ‘70s, passed away last month. I didn’t know David, but I’m friends with members of his nice family.

Great news for Mike Young and Jill Young (Moynihan) on the birth of their beautiful daughter, Callie Rose, 9 pounds, 14 ounces, on April 23. Mike Young was a great running back at Norwood High, who earned All Scholastic honors in 2005. Callie Rose’s proud grandfather is Tom Moynihan from the Hill at Tobin Court. Tom’s brother is “Big Jim” Moynihan, known as the Mission Hill marathon man. Big Jim completed seven Boston Marathons during the ‘80s.

On May 25. we’ll commemorate Memorial Day, a day to honor and mourn our military veterans who were killed in the line of duty. Started shortly after the Civil War, it became a national holiday in 1971. Every year at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day, there is a national moment of remembrance.

Yet another thing I miss during the shutdown is going to the Encore Casino in Everett. I was playing Texas hold ‘em  at Encore on March 14 when word spread throughout the Casino that the place was closing indefinitely  at 6 a.m. the following Sunday morning. It reminded me of the great movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” so I quoted Robert Redford and told the Pit Boss: “I’m not leaving this card game until I’m asked to stay.”  

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