d. February 25, 2026
David J. Maroney, a Reading resident for over fifty years, died February 25 at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was 85. His wife of 61 years, Rosemary, and his four daughters were at his side.
Born in Boston and raised in Revere, David was one of four sons of the late Francis P. and Helen M. (Cannon) Maroney. He graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in 1958, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Merrimack College, and later went on to acquire his MBA from Boston College. He valued his education and was active in campus life before serving in the Army National Guard.
David built a successful career in marketing, working for several companies, including Gillette, Cool-Ray Sunglasses, Polaroid, M.W. Carr, and Phenix Label. He took great pride in his work and in the relationships he built over the years. David and Rosemary married in 1964 and settled in Reading, where they raised their family. He greeted everyone with genuine enthusiasm and a warm smile. He was deeply proud of his daughters and grandchildren and shared their accomplishments with unmistakable joy — sometimes with a touch of embellishment. A devoted hockey fan and father, he played an important role in developing the local girls’ hockey program in the 1980s, coaching his daughters and helping support its growth at a time when opportunities for girls in the sport was limited.
Photography was a lifelong passion. At age ten, he bought his first camera, a Kodak Brownie, for three dollars, beginning a hobby that stayed with him for decades. After retiring, he wrote and photographed for the Reading Chronicle and was a familiar presence at local events with camera in hand.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and active in Faith and Fellowship at St. Agnes Church, as well as the Reading Neighbors Network.
In addition to his wife, Rosemary, he is survived by his daughters: Susan Peter and her husband, Hans, of Kansas; Kerrie Maroney of Reading; Katie Poppen and her husband, Mark, of Kansas; and Nancy Maroney-Doherty and her husband, Phil, of Norwell. He also leaves his grandchildren: Katelyn Hart and her husband, John; Hayley Peter; Charlie Peter; Jenna Poppen; Regan Poppen; and Miles Poppen; and his granddog, Cooper.
David’s funeral will be held at the Douglass Edgerley and Bessom Funeral Home on March 4 at 9:30am, followed by a Mass at St. Agnes Church at 10:30am. Burial will follow at Charles Lawn Cemetery. Visiting hours will be held March 3 from 4–7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in David’s memory to Christ the King Parish, 186 Woburn St., Reading, MA 01867 (www.christthekingreading.org), the American Cancer Society, 3 Speen St., Suite 250, Framingham, MA 01701 (www.cancer.org), or the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, 40 Broad Street
Boston, MA 02109.
For directions and on line guest book, visit www.douglassfuneralhome.com
