John William Canty, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully on August 31, 2025, at the age of 78. He was born on December 13, 1946 to the late John Canty and Mary Ann (O’Sullivan). John was the oldest of six and the ringleader of a lively clan including Maureen Bean ( late husband Howie) of Wareham, Kathleen Byrnes ( Danny) of Braintree, James Canty of Dorchester, Margaret Canty of Plymouth and Julie Fitzgerald (Brendan) of Duxbury.

John attended St. Mary’s Catholic High school in Cambridge, where his sharp wit and charm were as notable as his studies.  He went on to graduate from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 1968 and shipped to sea as a third and second engineering officer, stationed in the Far East and Northern Europe.

John was so proud of being a MMA graduate and has enjoyed a lifetime of friendships with many of his classmates, always creating lasting memories. Though he enjoyed the adventure, John eventually returned home, trading the sea for a long and respected career as a safety engineer and consultant, working for Textron Corporation and later finishing his career with Cabot Risk Strategies.

But John’s most important job was his family.  From his first marriage, he was blessed with four children; Amy Lank of Plymouth, mother to Sydney and Joey; Karen MacDonald of Weymouth, married to Geoff and parents to Matthew and Megan; Pamela Barbour of Scituate, married to Chris and parents to Bernie and Georgia; and his late son Kevin, who passed in 1997 and whose memory John carried close to his heart.

In 1993, John married Carol Ann Boghosian (Pasiuk) of Duxbury. With Carol, John’s family grew even larger, as he lovingly became a father to Aaron Boghosian of Hopkinton, dad to Ethan and Leah, and to Andrea (Boghosian) Norman of Hilton Head, SC, married to Eric and parents to Wyatt and Sawyer. They were married for 32 years and shared a life full of family, friends and wonderful memories. 

John lived fully, loved deeply, and never passed up the chance for a good story or a good time.  He was happiest surrounded by family and friends, with his quick wit, big laugh, and warm heart making gatherings brighter, keeping everyone entertained with his mischievous humor.

He will be missed more than words can say, but remembered with smiles, stories, and the joy he effortlessly brought to others.

 On Friday, September 12th, family and friends are invited to celebrate John's life at Holy Family Church, 601 Tremont St., Duxbury. The family will receive guests  outside the church at 9:00 am followed by a funeral mass at 10:00 am. Burial will be at Mayflower Cemetery across the street from the church.

The family would like to recognize Bridges in Pembroke and Norwell Hospice for all the wonderful care and love that John received. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John's honor to Norwell Hospice,120 Longwater Dr, Norwell , MA 02061 or Massachusetts Maritime Academy, online Maritime.edu/give