Firefighter, Rotarian, accomplished marksman
Jack Sawyer. (Courtesy photo)
John P. “Jack” Sawyer, 79, of Shirley, formerly of Harvard, died Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 at Fitchburg Healthcare, Fitchburg.
Jack was born in Portland, Maine, on Jan. 17, 1939, the eldest son of John P. and Doris L. (Lewis) Sawyer. He was a 1956 graduate of the Bromfield School in Harvard.
After graduating from high school, he served his country in the National Guard. In addition to working as a machinist and as a salesman for food service appliances and agricultural equipment, Jack owned and operated an excavation business as well as Sawyer Construction in Harvard.
An accomplished marksman, Jack was a founding member of the Harvard Sportsman’s Club and coached shooting in the Groton Pony Club triathlon program. He was a member of the Ayer-Shirley-Harvard Rotary Club, and the Harvard Fire Department. He worked part time as a dispatcher for the Harvard Police Department. He also served the town as a water commissioner and served on the Harvard Fourth of July Committee.
Jack leaves his wife of 53 years, Mabel T. (Taylor) Sawyer; two daughters: Diane S. Dooley of Lawrence and Gail S. DeSimio and her husband, Daniel, and their daughter, Isabella, of Westbrook, Maine; a brother, Charles Sawyer of Chelmsford; and a sister, Kaye Ward of Harvard.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Dec. 29, at 2 p.m. at the Congregational Church of Harvard, located at 5 Still River Road.
