Robert J Mcmahon

Robert McMahon, born May 28, 1930, passed away peacefully, at home in Norwalk, on December 28. It was the second time that he died, having drowned in the Saugutuck River at the age of five only to come back to life after multiple attempts to revive him and more than 30 minutes after he was officially pronounced dead.  It was an experience of profound beauty and serenity that he spoke about for the rest of his life. He graduated Staples High School (1949) as a star pitcher for the varsity baseball team, served in the Navy (1950-4), moved from cable splicer to management with Southern New England Telephone (1955-93), was a Little League coach, worked as a summer attendant at Calf Pasture Beach, and accompanied cancer patients to and from treatments as a volunteer at Norwalk Hospital in his last decades. Whenever he met people who were facing their own mortality, he would tell them, “It’s going to be alright.  I’ve been there.”

Robert remained an outdoorsman, fishing and hunting, and later became known locally as “The Walker” to people he passed on his daily 14 mile stroll.  He was a friend of Bill W’s for nearly 50 years, an usher at St. Mathew’s parish, a painter who followed the lessons of The Famous Artists’ School, and the last surviving husband of the Tuesday Club, started by his wife, Jeanette Morsa, and a group of girlfriends, which has been meeting at least every Tuesday for the past 70 years.

He was predeceased by his parents, Albert and Catherine McMahon, sisters Mary and Dorothy, and a son, Richard (in 2003, of ALS).  He is survived by: his wife; his daughter Leslie (Marshall) Gill, of Georgia; son Robert (Darlene) McMahon, of Florida; daughter Patricia (Matthew Levine), of Westport; daughter-in-law Cheryl McKinerney (Richard), of Bethel; as well as by grandchildren Jeremy and Kevin of Bethel, Jason and Amber of Maine, Noah Levine of New York City, Morgan (Jacob) Matte of Atlanta, and great granddaughter, Molly, of Atlanta.

The family wishes to express its gratitude to Vitas Health Care for their kind and gentle support.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no services will be held at this time, but a memorial gathering is planned for spring or summer.  In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the ALS Association of CT.