Francis P. Delaney – Comeau Funeral Home

Haverhill – Francis P. Delaney, 87, husband of the late Grace E. (Taylor) Delaney, passed away April 14, 2020 at the Wingate Residences in Haverhill, with his family at his side.

Born in Lawrence, he was the son of the late Thomas and Marie (Lingiere) Delaney. Raised and educated in Lawrence, he was a graduate of Lawrence High School, Class of 1951. He received his teaching degree from Lowell Teacher’s College and his Master’s degree from Salem State University. Francis served his country with honor from 1952 until 1956 in the United States Navy during the Korean Conflict.

He came to live in Haverhill in 1961 where he raised his family with his wife Grace. Francis was an assistant principal at the Rocks Village School and taught math and science at the Dr. Paul Nettle School. “Coach D” coached football at Haverhill High school for many years, and in his later years, at other high schools in the Merrimack Valley.

He was a man of strong faith and was a communicant of St. James Parish in Haverhill, teaching CCD as well. Francis loved children and loved spending time with his grandchildren. He enjoyed the mountains, the beach and fishing. Francis will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

Francis is survived by his children, Timothy F. Delaney of Mansfield; Kevin C. Delaney and his wife Stacey of Satellite Beach, FL; Faith E. Delaney of Newburyport; Ann C. Anderson and her husband Karl O. Anderson of Londonderry, NH; his six grandchildren, Matthew F., Ian F., Kaedin and Brienna Delaney, and Kaitlin and Nathan Anderson; two brothers; and several nieces and nephews.

Due to the current national health crisis, funeral services will be private. Arrangements are by the Kevin B. Comeau Funeral Home, 486 Main Street, Haverhill. Donations may be made in his memory to the Touchdown Club of Haverhill High School, P.O. Box 5392, Bradford, MA 01835 or Elder Services of Merrimack Valley, 280 Merrimack Street, #400, Lawrence, MA 018434. The family of Francis would like to thank the staff in the memory unit at Wingate Residences for their great care. Please visit Comeau Funeral Home on Facebook or www.comeaufuneral.com

Condolences(36)

Kerri (DeMille) Martone says
April 15, 2020 at 6:37 pm

I’m so very sorry to hear of your dads passing. I remember him fondly as my teacher at Nettle middle school. He was & always has been one of my favorite teachers. I have always kept him in my thoughts & prayers over the years. I pray for you & know he is with God & his beautiful bride eternally now.
Bobby Roche says
April 15, 2020 at 7:24 pm

This is such sad news. Coach D was a huge part of my life and I think of him often. I am thankful for the time I had with him and the life lessons he taught me. My former teammates and I as well as the neighborhood guys speak of him often and like to share our personal war stories from the days of Coach D and Coach Mac! What a duo they were. Coach D will always be remembered with the fondest of memories. God Bless you all. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers!
Jessica Quinn says
April 15, 2020 at 8:31 pm

I’m so sorry to hear of the loss of your dad. He was my favorite teacher at Nettle and the reason why science was my favorite subject. My thoughts are with your family.
Anonymous says
April 15, 2020 at 10:20 pm

I am so sorry for you loss, your father was a wonderful teacher. And I also want to thank him for his Service in the Navy. Prayer’s for the family, friends, that he leaves behind. God Bless all of you Kim Yokley May you RIP Mr. Delaney
Eileen Hebert says
April 15, 2020 at 10:48 pm

The Hebert Family Loved Mr.D
Thanks for the Memories
Rest In Peace Mr. D
Joseph DiBurro says
April 15, 2020 at 11:02 pm

Damn I’m shocked but rest in piece gumba you and Harry msc had slot of influence in my life I’m very grateful for you friendship and kindness to me What can I do to make your family find your loss to them much more meaningful. Sadly missed by joe snd Sheila DiBurro and family.
Suzanne Gould says
April 16, 2020 at 1:54 am

I am so very sorry for your loss. Mr.D was my math teacher at Nettle School, and I will never forget his sweet smiling face. He was a teacher that certainly left a mark on every student lucky enough to be in his class.
Much love to the family during this difficult time.
Steve Leavitt says
April 16, 2020 at 2:52 am

I’ll be forever grateful for the way in which you positively impacted my life as a teacher, football coach and mentor. Thank you, Coach D, and blessings to your family.
o Tom Welch says
April 16, 2020 at 12:09 pm

I’m so sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers to your family.
Tom Welch says
April 16, 2020 at 12:16 pm

I’m so sorry for your loss. He was a good man and will be missed. Thoughts and prayers to your family.
Mary says
April 16, 2020 at 3:22 pm

Dear Faith
You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
Met your Dad at Nettle school years ago. Loved by so many.
Peace to you all 🙏
Shelli Martinson & Family says
April 16, 2020 at 3:55 pm

So sorry for your family’s loss. Coach D or Mr. D was such a wonderful man. He will be missed by so many. Thinking of you all at this difficult time.
Julie DeCelle says
April 16, 2020 at 7:25 pm

I am so sorry for your loss. “Mr. D” was a great man and a teacher that I never forgot. I still remember him opening the Rocks Village School while it was closed during the Blizzard of ’78 so us kids who lived in the village, “the village people”, he affectionately called us, could get some school work done. The world is better because he was in it.
Brian Mcnamara says
April 16, 2020 at 8:22 pm

Very sorry to hear of coach’s passing. He and Harry Mac were the best role models Haverhill ever had. Hope they’re having fun up there! My condolences to all.
Adrienne Siney says
April 17, 2020 at 12:21 pm

Very sorry to hear of Frank’s passing I taught with him at Nettle for many years and he was so supportive of all his students. He will be missed greatly.
Mark Wright says
April 17, 2020 at 1:38 pm

Mr.D was a very good teacher he was the only one that got me to enjoy math.
He was very firm but he was also very fair.
He was the best teacher at Nettle School by far so sorry for your loss.
He was a good man.
Barbara Reardon says
April 17, 2020 at 2:27 pm

Dear Faith,

So sorry for your loss. He was a dear friend of my mother and father Mary Elizabeth and Frank Bostwick. Will keep your famiy in our prayers during this difficult time.
Laurie Clay says
April 17, 2020 at 2:31 pm

My sincere condolences to the Delaney family. Mr. D was such an inspirational teacher who took a personal interest in his students. May he rest in peace.
Steve Seero says
April 17, 2020 at 3:34 pm

I was privileged to play under Coach Delaney at Andover High. He was a great coach, an awesome motivator, and a great person. I wish I could have shared this story in person at his services but I’ll write it here. In 1999 a drunk fan stumbled into our bench trying to get at one of our players. I’ll never forget the sight of Coach Delaney taking him down! He cared about us and it made us play harder and he was a great example of passion. I still think about him and that moment all the time; great life lesson. My condolences to his friends and family but please know he had a great impact on many of us!
D.A.W. says
April 17, 2020 at 3:36 pm

FRANK & HARRY PUT THEIR MARK ON WHOLE LOT OF YOUNG MEN & WOMEN OVER ALOT OF YEARS TO EVERYONES’ BETTERMENT…………..FRANK,………. HARRY & KEV ARE WAITING FOR YOU!!!!
John & Jane Butler says
April 17, 2020 at 9:45 pm

So sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing. So many fond memories of all of you living on Seventeen Ava. Frank was a great man. We will cherish his memory!
Terry Sullivan says
April 17, 2020 at 9:49 pm

To the Delaney family, I had Mr. Delaney 3 years in a row 6th 7th and 8th grade at Nettle school. I will always remember his kindness. He will be missed. I will remember him fondly and smile. Your in my thoughts and prayers.
Leslie Sampson says
April 18, 2020 at 3:17 am

So, so sad . The memories I have of him as a teacher, coach and just a huge part of this community. Humor and a heart of gold. My deepest sympathy to you Faith and Tim and An and all your family. I heard your names almost daily in my sixth grade math class🙏❤️

May your memories bring you peace
Jim and Kathy Rurak says
April 18, 2020 at 3:31 pm

Dear Faith and family,
Both our son Chris and our daughter Ammie had “Mr. Delaney” as a teacher. Their appreciation of him was unbounded. They talked about him often and what we could add to their enthusiasm for him was our sense of how great was his service to our country and city and how proud we were to know him. Our deepest sympathies upon his passing.
Mark Kelley says
April 18, 2020 at 3:40 pm

Growing up on the Acre, attending St. James grammar school, Coach D was my first coach.
Baseball and basketball. Then, high school football.
The lessons he taught me on and off the court and fields are indelible. Respect, effort and loyalty.
I will miss, but always remember my coach.
Joy Sapienza-Kessler says
April 18, 2020 at 7:34 pm

Faith, I am so sorry to hear about your Dad’s passing. He was such an awesome inspiration to many as a teacher and a coach. I know that he was always cheering for the “brown and gold”.
May your wonderful memories of him live on forever.
Bill Cantwell says
April 18, 2020 at 11:04 pm

“Coach D” was a bear of a man, but with a soft tone and a huge heart. He had a way of making all of us young people — in the classroom, football field and elsewhere — feel not only welcome, but important. He continued that tone into our adulthood, often using his trademark phrase “You make me feel so good” when he saw us around town. Some of us have borrowed that phrase and still share it with each other to express, as he did, our love for each other. We will continue doing that as we keep his memory and spirit alive for ourselves and for his family. To Faith, Tim and all other family members, we feel your pain. God bless Coach D forever.
Thomas Riley says
April 19, 2020 at 3:21 pm

My sincere condolences To the Delaney family. I had coach D and crossed paths several times after graduating in 74. Always a warm smile and strong handshake. I would also say he was one of my top 5 respected people I’ve met in my life !!
Joe Bevilacqua says
April 19, 2020 at 4:03 pm

Joe and Toni Ann Bevilacqua send their deepest sympathy. Toni thought Mr.Delaney was her favorite teacher at Nettle! Mr.Delaney and your family will be in our prayers and thoughts.
Dennis Carter says
April 21, 2020 at 12:52 am

Mr Delaney was my fifth grade teacher at Nettle School in 1961- 1962. He had a impact on my life more than any other teacher . I am to this day a proud member of Delaney’s Devils flag football team. We had a healthy rivalry with Mr Rossatone’s Rockets. I used to run into Mr Delaney at Plug Pond always hoping to catch a few Trout. He was a great great man and will be missed.
Jennifer Beal says
April 21, 2020 at 1:00 am

So sorry for Frank’s passing. I first met him when I was working as a home health aide out in the community for a visiting nurse association. Later on I was blessed with the opportunity with crossing paths with him again at wingate assisted living when I worked there and he became one of our residents. I was so happy to see him again which was about two years later and I always wondered how he was doing. I used to bring him his newspaper each morning at wingate and he would always have the biggest smile for me and give me a hug and point to his cheek for a kiss on the cheek. Always made my morning. I will miss him but I know that he is now with his beloved wife grace who we would frequently visit at the cemetary on the days I was with him during the time I was working for the visiting nurse association. I will miss his smile. Rest in peace Frank.
Mike Bresnahan says
April 21, 2020 at 9:52 pm

Faith,
Sorry to hear of your Dads passing. I will always remember him for being a positive influence on
my life. As a coach he always had a way of correcting me without raising his voice or making you feel dumb. He and your mom also raised a very
nice daughter.
As time passes, I hope your memories will bring you more happiness than sorrow.
Marilyn Caradonna says
April 23, 2020 at 12:10 pm

So sorry to hear of Frank’s passing. He was a strong supporter of everything Haverhill. My condolences to his entire family. Once a Hillie, always a Hillie, RIP!
Dorothy Riley says
April 25, 2020 at 7:13 pm

Dear Faith, So sorry to hear of the loss of your father. I enjoyed his company while riding to Lowell State Teachers College. He was a good man and always a gentleman.
Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
Kevin Belfiore says
June 30, 2020 at 2:41 pm

So sorry to hear. Mr D was a great teacher who didn’t just teach us math, but taught us about life outside the classroom. He had a special way of teaching, that made it fun to learn. I remember that he would always speak about his family, and how proud he was of his children during our 6th grade classes. His great passion for teaching, coaching, and giving back was truly appreciated by all who knew him. He had a great full life with lots of memories. Rest in peace.
Bonnie Madigan says
February 11, 2022 at 2:13 am

He was one of the best teachers I ever had, I truly loved and respected Mr D I am so sorry for your loss. But know he had a remarkable impact on so many young people.