Dedication: Helen and Ray Mahony
This is a pictorial dedication to my parents. They met at a party in September 1931 and they were together for the next 79 years.
Ray 1915
Helen and favorite brother George around 1920
Ray and sister Betty in 1924
Ray at the Jersey shore 1920 (Looks like young Tommy Wickham)
Ray 1931
Helen 1932
Ray 1933
Graduation Nutley High school 1933
1934 (wow, he looks like Todd)
Helen 1935-looking very good!!
1936 (Jeez, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other!)
Dapper Ray 1936
Ray and Helen (or is it Bonnie and Clyde)
Ray and sister Betty around 1938
Helen at Uncle George’s wedding
Trip to Bermuda 1960 (Dad wearing an ascot??)
1967
Former first baseman
1970s
Todd and Patty’s wedding 1988
A pictures is worth a thousand words
51st wedding anniversary April 16, 1989
Helen and Ray’s anniversary party 1988
Megan and Tom’s wedding 1996
Visiting Lake George
1991 reunion
Family gathering at Lake Valhalla 2000 (with favorite son)
Goofing around during a Board meeting at the park
Visit to NJ around 2004
Mid-2000s
60th and 70th wedding anniversary announcements
Ray with his bamboo plants. “Where did I get all this talent?” he asks.
A school assignment from Quinn Michael Mahony, oldest grandson, about his great grandfather
September 3, 2010
My dad was in the hospital quite sick and recovery was very unlikely. He refused to undergo an invasive procedure that had little chance for success. He was tired and in pain. “I’ve had a good life” he assured his sons. Brothers Ray and Steve went to pick up mom to bring her to the hospital for what would be their final visit. Todd stayed with my dad who asked Todd to help him clean up and comb his hair before my mother arrived. He wanted to look presentable for their last moments together. When my mom arrived they talked, held hands and had one final kiss. After the kiss she stood up and let everyone know once again that he was a great kisser. She went back home and he died at 4:27 that afternoon. Ironically, his eight children were on the phone making plans to handle the situation when he passed. As usual he was one step ahead of us. This photo was taken during that final visit.
Ray’s Obituary
Mom 2012
April 27, 2013
My dad passed away in September 2010 leaving my mother alone after close to 80 years with her life partner. With little exception she continued to live the next two and half years of her life with dignity and without complaint. It is hard to image the devastation of losing someone you so dearly loved for so many years yet she continued on with remarkable strength. While she enjoyed visits from her family as time went on her memory began to fade and energy level declined. She spent many hours sleeping, taking short walks and looking at family photographs which seemed to give her comfort. In early April she fell and fractured her pelvis and a vertebra in her lower back. She spent 10 days in the hospital and then arrangements were made to move her to a nursing facility. Her condition declined rapidly and hospice was brought in to manage what was likely to be her final days. Five days before she died she would no longer allow the nursing staff to feed her: she had made her final decision and decided it was time to move on. Reflecting on her decision I feel tremendous sadness but also great pride that she went out on her own terms.
This is the final picture taken of mom in late March. She had just visited with Todd and was on her way to dinner when he took the photo. My first reaction was profound sadness to see her alone but I now see it in a different way: I believe my dad was waiting for her just around the corner and they are now united once again.
The Mahony Book of Family Values
When my siblings and I were in college we knew that we could write one letter to our Mahony grandparents and two good things would happen: we would make these two special people happy and also end up with a reply in the amount of $10 (adjusted for inflation). A classic win-win scenario, which is nice. My dad took the process to a whole new level with the creation of the Mahony Book of Family Values
The Book of Family Values was created by my father and mother,Ray and Helen, back in the 1980s. This “Book” existed not on paper but totally in the mind of my father. At the center of this effort was the simple desire on the part of my folks to stay in touch with their grand and great grandchildren. But it was even more: they wanted to encourage the kids to perform well in school, in sports, behave themselves, and be good people. The hook was that the Book of Values referenced a “book” that didn’t exist: allowing my father to create categories, monetary rewards, and quotations from the book every time he received a request. When Ryan broke his wrist he received an award of $1.87 under the category of “Dumb Things to Do”. Colin received an award for throwing a TD pass in overtime to win a game. The award was broken down as follows: Throwing pass to win the game: $18.50, Doing it in overtime: $.65, doing it on his birthday: $1.25. Often the “committee” would provide various dollar awards for As, Bs, and Cs: referencing various pages in the “book”. The beauty was that the values for the letter grades change continually as my folks couldn’t remember what value they assigned in earlier awards: this confused the kids yet they had no problem cashing the checks!
Every note ended the same way: with an expression of love and affection for the recipient (and always mentioned the other siblings as well). This combination of humor, recognition for doing the right thing, and expressions of love were the themes of the Book of Family Values.
Anyway, you get the picture. Enjoy my parents doing what they loved to do.
In this letter Ryan is given recognition for being the only member of the extended family to be inducted into the National Honor Society. This caused a bit of a stir as Megan had been inducted years earlier at Norwell High School. This led to one of the only retractions the “committee” ever offered however the committee allowed Ryan to retain his reward.
Retraction
The Book of Values was also extended to the next generation as is evident in the award to Quinn Michael Mahony. Helen and Rays oldest great grandchild.
Recognition-this section will recognise some key accomplishments of family members in the areas of school and career.
As this article makes clear, Barb has had a huge impact on the Lacrosse program in Falls Church. Her organizational skills, fairness, humor, and commitment are all obvious here.
Brian is a digital arts teacher at Concord-Carlisle High School outside of Boston. He is also the creator of the Guumon toy figures which are are popular items in the US and Japan. See how he combines a passion for art education and art creation.
Another article on how Brian’s teaching skills lead to practical application for one of his students.
Colin and Mario’s 2003 football team was inducted into the Montville Township High School’s Hall of Fame. This organization recognizes accomplishment in the ares athletics, academics, and community service.
Denny was a successful executive and leader with American Cyanamid and Formica. Below is an interview which appeared in the company publication.
After a very successful advertising career, Todd started his own company out his home with no customers, a couple partners, and a very strong vision. The rest is history.
Art spent 28 years at Ricoh, starting as sales trainer and retiring as Region Vice President. Here is an interview he gave in 2009.
Ricoh’s reorganization announcement in 2005. Art is named RVP.
For about 20 years Denny and Adie served on the St Clare’s Hospital Harvest Festival, apparently with the occasional assistance of son Brian, to raise funds for the hospital.
Yearbook Years
Yearbook photos from 1954 to 1970. I thought it be fun to take a look back at our years at MLHS as well as a few photos from Moorestown High School where Steve and Barb graduated. Hope you enjoy.
Senior Pictures-(Double click on the senior pictures to get full screen view)
Steve
Barb
Class Pictures
Class of 1958 8th grade year-Denny’s in the second row 5th from left (not facing the camera!)
Class of 1958 sophomore year-Denny is the middle of the back row
Class of 1960 8th grade-Ray in front row on far left
Class of 1961 7th grade-Todd is back row 3rd from right
Sports/Activities
1958 Football-Denny(#34), Ray (#69) and Todd (#65), What’s Ray doing with his right hand??
Denny senior year 1958
Hey!! How did Colin get in here?
Textbook body block by Denny #34
1959 Football-Ray #33-Todd in back row 3rd from left
1956 Football- Dad, Mom (with sunglasses) , and Patty (Denny’s most loyal fan) watching from the stands
1967 Football- Art #38 
Steve’s Soccer team goes to state playoffs (Steve in front row fourth from left)
1965 Girls Athletic Association Blue Team-Patty’s in the front row 5th from left. She broke her arm in practice that year but still appeared in the show. 
1958 Winners of the Penn Relays MLHS team: Pete Tucker, Denny, Dave Heiser, Walt Braunholder. Denny was also State Champ in the quarter mile that year
1958 Winner of Penn Relays at reunion 1998 with caoch and family friend Bill Kogen.
1960 Swimming (Todd front row third from left)
1964 Swimming State Champs (Art second row third from right)
1969 Swimming Barb is Co-Captain and they lose only one meet (She is seated on diving board second from end)
1969 Barb and old friend Connie Crocker (3rd and 4th top row right) with Cheerleaders
1969 Barb on yearbook committee (OK enough of Barb!!)
1958 Basketball- Denny #9
1965-66 Basketball (Art #22 )
1967 Basketball Steve #40
This page will be dedicated to the Mahonys and Hickeys from the mid-1800s through the mid-1900s. It will include letters, photos, biographies, accomplishments, and obituaries. There was little reseach done here as most of these items have been in our possession for many years and passed down from generation to generation.
This first entry is a brief family history written by Ray Mahony, Jr. around 1990. Clearly he wanted to share and hopefully preserve this information for his children and future generations.
This entry is not about a blood relative but is someone who had a huge influence on Dennis Mahony’s success in America. He was a friend and mentor to Dennis and gave him the opportunity to advance himself when Irish immigrants were not always welcome.
Family photo of the Mahony family around 1900.
Pictured: Lititia Finn Mahony, Dennis W Mahony
Children (L to R): Eleanor Lititia, Abraham Lincoln, Arthur Sawyer, Raymund Leonard, Sarah (Sadie) Curran
Dennis Wallace Mahony 1861 to 1913
Dennis Mahony Biography
Dennis Mahony wass Postmaster of the Passaic Post Office in the early 1900s through his death in 1913. He is pictured in the front row 3rd from left.
This article appeared in the Passaic daily News on December 1, 1913 just aa few days after Dennis’s death. The article is lengthy and a little challenging to read but it is well wroth the effort.
Here is a related article on Dennis’s wife Lititia who was selected to complete the remained of his term as Postmaster which ended in 1914.
Arthur Sawyer Mahony 1892-1933
Arthur Sawyer Mahony Biography
Art’s 1914 senior picture at Bucknell
This article appeared in the NY Times in the fall of 1912.
In 1920 Eleanor Lititia Mahony, youngest child of Lititia and Dennis, married Paul Lymon Troast. Paul was a close friend with Eleanor’s brother Art. Paul and Art founded Mahony-Troast Construction Company in 1927. Art passed away in 1933 but Paul kept the name Mahony in honor of his wife and his friend.
You can see Paul Troast had a long and successful career.
Below are the key dates of Paul and Eleanor’s marriage and children.
Name: Paul Lyman Troast.
Born: Tuesday, November 19, 1895 in Saddle River Township, NJ, USA.
Deceased: Friday, July 21, 1972 in Clifton, NJ, USA at 76 years of age.
Parents: Jacob Aaron Troast and Catharine (Kitty) Lyman.
Married in 1920 in Yonkers, NY, USA with:
Name: Eleanor Letticia Mahony.
Born: Saturday, August 10, 1895 in NJ, USA.
Deceased: in 1965 at 69 years of age.
Parents: Dennis Wallace Mahony and Lettica Finn.
They had 4 children:
1. Name: Paul Lyman Troast Jr.
Born: 1921.
Married with:
Name: Helen Dunn.
Born: in 1920.
2. Name: Kathleen Joan Troast.
Born: 1924.
She married twice:
A. Name: Trygve Sletteland.
B. Name: Duncan Pitney.
3. Name: Arthur Lincoln Troast.
Born: 1928.
Married with:
Name: Geraldine Norton.
4. Name: John Gilpin Troast.
Born: ** ** **** in Passaic, NJ, USA.
Married with:
Name: Eileen Murphy.
Born: ** ** *** in Passaic, NJ, USA.
>Obituary for Lititia Finn Mahony 1861 to 1949 A strong and religious woman.
Article on Dennis Mahony marking 50 years since his passing
Hickey Family pictured taken in the early 1900s. From left to right: Frederick Hickey, Frances (Fanny), Dorothy (Dickie), Katherine (Kit), Charles (Chick), Marion, Alice, Russell, Alice Gregory Hickey.
Great article on Frederick Hickey’s retirement as General Manager of the Railway Express Service.
