Obituary of John Edward Heslin Jr.

John Edward Heslin Jr. was born in Providence RI to John Edward and Catherine Locke Heslin on April 7, 1932. He was preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth, his son Jack, and his brothers Richard and Robert. He is survived by his sister Kathleeen Hobson, his daughters Erin King, Becky King, and Caroline Settino and son Mark Heslin. He is also survived by 8 grandchildren Tarah Keeley, Amy Kluver, Katie Green, John Heslin, Brendon Heslin, Ryan Coleman, Sterling Settino and Dylan Coleman. He has 10 great grandchildren: Gabriel and Noah Keeley, Tek Kluver, Liam Green, Rileigh, Ryan Jr., Rowan, Reece Coleman, and Malachai Coleman, and Isaac Heslin.

John grew up in Cranston, RI, the oldest of 3 siblings: Robert, Richard and Kathleen. He attended Cranston High School and later attended Rhode Island College of Education where he graduated in 1956 with a bachelor’s degree. While in college he met the love of his life Elizabeth Lake and they were married for over 65 years.

While at RIC he was active in school politics and was president of his senior class. He was a four-year member of the men’s soccer team, and he quickly became one of the team’s top offensive players and served as team captain.

After his graduation from RIC in 1956, he went on to a very distinguished career as an educator in the Barrington and Scituate, Rhode Island school systems as well as the Brockton and Needham, Massachusetts schools. John was a high school English and social studies teacher and also a guidance counselor. He received his Master’s in Education degree from Bridgewater State College in 1958.

Perhaps his greatest contributions to soccer came after his undergraduate days were over. He was heavily involved in soccer officiating, serving as the President of both the New England Soccer Officials Association and the Rhode Island Soccer Officials Association. John was inducted into the Eastern Massachusetts Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame in 2012 and in 2019 he was inducted in the Rhode Island College Athletics Hall of Fame.

He became the Dean of Men at Stonehill College and later the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. He was also the first men’s soccer coach at Stonehill College and saw time guiding the Skyhawk baseball and women’s basketball programs.

John spent over two decades as the head girls’ soccer coach at Bridgewater-Raynham High School where he led the Trojans to many league championships. John had a strong influence on soccer; he was one of the founders of the Bridgewater Youth Soccer Association (BYSA).

John had a love for politics. He served on the Bridgewater-Raynham School Board for a number of years, and he was the Bridgewater’s Town Moderator in the late 1980s & 1990s.

John and his wife retired to Marston Mills in 2002. He was active in his retirement years, playing golf every week, spending time with the grandchildren and walking his dog, Nala. He was active in Our Lady of Hope Chapel where he volunteered in the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. He was an eucharist minister serving the homebound, and regularly helped the priests with Sunday mass.

John was a Navy veteran during the Korean War.

In lieu of flowers, donations in John's memory may be made to Bridgewater Youth Soccer Association or Saint Vincent de Paul Society.

A funeral mass will be held on March 16th at Our Lady of Hope Chapel in West Barnstable (1581 Main St. - Rt. 6A). Following the mass, there will be a Celebration of Life reception in Plymouth.