Joshua Robert Mahoney

Joshua Robert Mahoney, 40, of Bridgewater, MA, passed away on September 28, 2024, at his mother’s home after a 14-year-long battle with brain cancer. Josh’s mother, father, stepmother, and brother stood by his side at the time of his passing. 

Josh was born on April 20, 1984, in Dorchester, MA. He grew up in Canton and Easton. As a boy, Joshua developed a lifelong love of all sports. He also loved collecting sports cards, pogs, comic books, and pez dispensers. Josh graduated from Oliver Ames High School in Easton, MA, in 2002 at the top of his class. He studied psychology at his undergraduate alma mater, Norwich University, and went on to earn a master’s degree in journalism at Boston University.

Josh attended Norwich on an ROTC scholarship originally with the Navy and then switched to the Marines. He attended officer candidate school and eventually earned the rank of captain. After his first deployment as a rifle platoon commander, Josh went to Afghanistan as the commander of Weapons Platoon, Alpha Company 1st Battalion 5th Marines. In the summer of 2009, he took part in Operation Kanjari ("Strike of the Sword") in Helmand Province-- the largest helicopter offensive conducted by the Marines since the Vietnam War. Between deployments, Josh went on countless adventures and missions around the world with his fellow marines in Las Vegas, Hollywood, Orange County, CA, Guam, the Maldives, Bahrain, The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Australia, and Afghanistan. 

On New Year’s Eve, 2009, Josh was diagnosed with brain cancer. After a successful bout of treatment, Josh’s cancer went into remission. His doctors told him that his cancer was a rare variant that would return more aggressively sometime in the future. Undeterred by this news, Josh went on to live a full and rich life with whatever time remained to him. He would not let the cancer get in the way of his zest for life. 

In 2013, Josh was medically retired from military service with an honorable discharge. He later went to work for the Department of Veteran’s Services in Boston as a contracting specialist for Maveric (Massachusetts Veterans Affairs Epidemiology, Research, and Information Collaborative) Program. Josh was admired, loved and respected by his coworkers and considered an integral part of the team.

In October 2012, Josh met the love of his life, Christina. Josh and Christina were married in July of 2016, at a beautiful seaside ceremony in Gloucester, MA. The couple originally lived in South Boston, then moved to Quincy and in 2022 bought their home in Bridgewater. In August of 2019, they were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Cadence Rose. Josh cherished his daughter and the two became inseparable. 

Throughout his life, Josh was a diehard fan of Boston’s major sports team, the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins, and especially the New England Patriots. Josh loved playing and watching sports. He was an avid golfer, snowboarder, and runner in his spare time, even completing the Boston Marathon in 2006. His favorite pastime was rooting for the Patriots. He cherished attending games, both at home and away. Traveling to away games with friends was one of his favorite activities. He attended Super Bowl LI with friends in Houston in 2017 to see his beloved Patriots win their fifth Superbowl. In 2023, a group of his best friends whisked him off on a European adventure to see the Patriots play a regular season game against the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany. The Colts being his brother Jay’s favorite team, Jay joined Josh for the trip. The matchup between New England and Indianapolis in Frankfurt would be his final away game.

Unfortunately, the cancer had returned in 2023. Josh continued to fight the disease with all the heart and soul of a true warrior and U.S. Marine. His doctors marveled at his miraculous ability to defy the cancer for the past 14 years. Tragically, he fought his last battle on September 28, 2024, when he succumbed to the illness.

Josh is survived by his wife, Christina Mahoney, his five-year-old daughter, Cadence “Cadie” Rose Mahoney, his mother, Nancy Pitnof, Nancy’s partner, David Tibbetts, his father, Michael Mahoney, his stepmother, Cecilia Mahoney, his brother, Jay Mahoney, Jay’s wife, Susie Mahoney and their children, Kellan and Wes, and numerous loving in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other extended family members and friends.

Marine, your mission is completed. There is no one braver than you! You made us all so proud! It is now time for you to be at peace.

Visiting Hours will be held from the Farley Funeral Home, 358 Park St., (Rt. 27) Stoughton on Friday, October 4 from 11 AM – 2 PM, followed by a reception at Stoneforge Tavern, 90 Paramount Drive, Raynham. A Graveside Service will be held at Massachusetts National Cemetery, Connery Avenue, Bourne on Thursday, October 10 at 9:45 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joshua’s memory may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168.