In Memory of

Paul

T.

Heffron

Obituary for Paul T. Heffron

Paul T. Heffron, former Boston College professor, and staff member of the Library of Congress died on November 20, 2015. He was 95 years old.

A native of Newton, Mr. Heffron was a graduate of Newton High School class of 1938, and of Boston College, class of 1942.

A decorated veteran of World War II, Mr. Heffron served in the Pacific as a radio operator air crew member with the 65th Troop Carrier Squadron participating in the campaigns in New Guinea, the Philippines, and the Netherlands, East Indies.

Following military service, he received a Ph.D. in Government from Fordham University.

From 1950 - 1966, Mr. Heffron was a member of the Boston College faculty. He was chairman of the Department of History and Government from 1954 - 1960, and in 1960 became the first chairman of the Department of Political Science.

In 1966 Mr. Heffron joined the staff of the Library of Congress. His work I n the manuscript division including representing the Library in negotiations for the acquisition of personal papers of significant public figures in American politics, journalism and legal history. He also advised scholars on the Library's resources for their varied research projects. In addition to articles relating to judicial biography, he was a contributing author to a collective work, American Secretaries of the Navy, published by the Naval Institute in Annapolis.

After retirement from federal service, Mr. Heffron taught courses in American government at Northeastern University and lectured in adult education courses on Cape Cod.

Beloved husband of the late Margaret J. (Wegerdt), he is survived by his nieces and nephews: Carol and Bill Harrison, Martha and Joe O’Brien, Joan Forde, Jane Sullivan, Kevin and Arlene Heffron, Steven and Michelle Heffron, Robert Heffron, Joan Callahan, Dick and Sandy Callahan and Neil and Sonja Callahan, as well as brothers in law Paul and Ted Wegerdt.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held, Monday, November 23, at 11AM, celebrated by Mr. Heffron’s cousin Rev. Vincent Daly, in St. John the Evangelist Church, 9 Glen Rd, Wellesley. Interment in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Needham. An hour of visitation will be held immediately prior to the Mass from 10-11 AM at the Henry J. Burke & Sons Funeral Home, 56 Washington St. Wellesley.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital at www.stjude.org