Whalen, Mark J.

Mark Joseph Whalen Sr., 69, of Canton, passed away peacefully at Brigham & Women’s Hospital on January 15 after a long battle with cancer and pulmonary issues. He was surrounded by his family and valiantly battled leukemia and ILP. Mark is eternally grateful for the care he received from his amazing oncologist, Dr. Vincent Ho, who took the best care of him for 20 years.

Mark was the loving son of Francis (Vance) and Fr. Joseph Whalen and was born and raised in Milton, where he was known and loved by many. He worked as a landscaper for Driscoll and took great pride in maintaining the beauty of many yards in the town. He went on to be the facilities manager for Unquity House, Winter Valley, and Fuller Village in Milton, as well as Sunrise Senior Living in Wayland, Dedham, and Burlington. He not only made sure the grounds and buildings were well cared for and maintained, but also loved connecting with the senior residents by putting smiles on their faces with his incredible sense of humor and bringing them cups of coffee.

Mark had a great love and appreciation for landscaping and weightlifting. Being from Boston and having a Boston accent, he was an avid Boston sports fan and was passionate about music and movies. In his younger years, he took great pride in his physical strength, which carried through to his mental and emotional strength while he endured and overcame so many medical challenges. He was a season ticket holder for the Red Sox for 15 years and he loved going to Fenway and got to witness many of the team’s milestones. He was glued to the Patriots during the football season and loved watching them win. Throughout his lifetime, he attended countless concerts for his favorite rock bands, played the bass guitar, and loved his music and movie collection. He was adored by his wife and kids, and his dog and his best friend, Mookie, named after his favorite Red Sox player.

Mark is survived by his wife of 31 years, Rosemary (Thorn), who never wavered in her love and care for him in sickness and in health, and his two children whom he adored, daughter Shannon and his son Mark Jr. of Canton. He is also survived by his siblings, Audrey Hayward, Joan Berg, Michael (Lynn) Whalen, and Barbara (Wayne) Cahill.

A funeral service was held Wednesday at the Dockray & Thomas Funeral Home, 455 Washington Street. Burial at Canton Corner Cemetery. Donations may be made in Mark’s name to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Jan 29 2026. Filed under Obituaries. Both comments and pings are currently closed.