David Edward Pradell
Educator and Renaissance Man
David Edward Pradell, born August 31, 1930, died peacefully in his sleep inWinthrop on September 27, 2020 at the age of 90 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
David was the youngest child and only son of Morris and Esther Pradell, growing up during the Depression in Detroit, Michigan with his siblings before heading west to attend Hollywood High School in Los Angeles, California.
After hitchhiking around the country, David joined the US Marine Corps, serving in Japan during the Korean War. He went to Columbia College graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a major in Oriental Art History. He then attended Harvard in pursuit of a PhD, escaping with a Master’s Degree.
In 1956, David journeyed with his first wife, Leila to Alaska by driving from the East Coast up the Alcan Highway to Alaska in a Volkswagen bus. Their first son, Steven, was born in Fairbanks and they taught school in Hooper Bay, a remote native village in the Alaska bush. He returned to Boston in 1961, had two additional children, Lawrence and Brenna, and was divorced in 1965.
David taught sixth grade at the Lawrence School in Brookline, Massachusetts for 30 years before retiring and he is still remembered fondly by his former students, who are setting up a memorial fund in his honor. David ran the Boston Film Center from 1967 until 1973, which he founded.
There, David shared his passion for photography and movie making with many young people who would prepare and exhibit their work at the center, including award winning short films. He also operated a theater, which featured European cinema classics, Roger Corman movies and puppet shows.
At the film center, David met and married Judy Sawin, an artist, teacher and architect in 1971. In addition to David’s three children, Judy brought her daughter, Marjanna and together David and Judy had two more children, Lisa and Amy.
In 1977, David and Judy took their five current children in a Dodge Maxivan for the road trip of their lifetime traveling to 38 states, Mexico and Canada beforereturning home. As a result of that experience,   David wrote the book “Home is the Longest Trip.â€
David and Judy operated Maine Frame, purchasing and remodeling beautiful old Victorian homes and David ultimately and single handedly built large Colonial houses in Maine into his 70’s.
At the age of 75, he survived triple bypass surgery and was elated upon waking up after the operation.
David enjoyed driving annually from Maine to winter in San Diego, California, visiting his relatives in Los Angeles and making new friends.
In his 80’s, he worked for FEMA, traveling around the country and U.S. territories processing the claims of those who suffered from disasters.
In addition to teaching, building and remodeling homes, David was a prolific reader, enjoyed opera, the music of Joe Cocker and Otis Redding, and the great outdoors.
He loved his children and traveled around the world visiting friends and family members who reside as far away as Germany and Alaska.
David is survived by his wife, Judy, his six children: Steven Pradell and his wife, Nancy Edtl, Lawrence Pradell and Lorraine DeFronzo, Brenna Pradell-Boyd, Marjanna and Michael Perrotta, Lisa and Patrick Farrell and Amy Pradell and Roger Kaiser; his older sister, Faye Schwab, numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents and his older sisters, Shelley Pradell andHelen Pradell.
Memorial services will be held in 2021.
Audrey O’Maley
Bank of America Retiree
Audrey J. O’Maley, 90, of Laconia, NH passed away at the Lakes Region Hospital on September 27.
Born in Winthrop, the beloved daughter of the late Mary (Morrison) and Francis J. O’Maley, she was a longtime Winthrop resident and worked as a secretary for Bank of America for over 25 years. She was also a member of the Laconia Senior Center, the Friendship Club and was a great lover of animals.
The dear sister of the late Francis J. O’Maley, Jr. and Eileen Campisi, she is survived by several nieces and nephews and was the dear friend of Kathy and Gary Milne of Laconia, New Hampshire.
The funeral was held from the Caggiano-O’Maley-Frazier Funeral Home, Winthrop on Wednesday, Sept, 30 followed by a Funeral Mass in St. John the Evangelist Church. Services concluded with interment in Winthrop Cemetery. To sign the online guestbook, go to www.caggianofuneralhome.com.
Audrey Megquier
Retired Legal Secretary
Audrey J. (Sears) Megquier of Winthrop passed away on Sept. 23 in the house she grew up in at the age of 83. In recent weeks she had many happy visits with family and friends and was attended to lovingly by her daughter, Kelley.
The loving daughter of the late Daniel and Helen (Fuller) Sears, she attended St. Lazarus School in East Boston and Mount Saint Joseph’s Academy in Brighton. Audrey was a legal secretary for the majority of her working life, most notably 23 years in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
Audrey was the devoted mother of Daniel H. Megquier of Dorchester, Lynda A. McDonough and her partner, Ed Widomski of Port St. Lucie, FL, Kelley J. Megquier of Winthrop and Donna M. Megquier and her husband, Jim Ohm of Waltham. She was the
much beloved grandmother of Joseph McDonough, Daniel P. Megquier, Sean Taverna and Madeleine and Lulu Ohm; the dear sister of Daniel G. Sears of
Warrenton, VA and the spoiler-in-chief of pups: Boo, Izzy and Bear.
Audrey’s talents were many and included crafting, cooking and gardening. Her Christmas parties were as legendary as her sharp wit. Her grandchildren were the light of
her life and she spoiled them with Nana weekends of inappropriate movies and trips to Toys ‘R Us and Friendly’s.
Funeral services will be private and are being arranged by the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home, Winthrop. A celebration of her life is planned for the future. Contributions in her name can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverly Oaks Road, Waltham,
MA. 02452 or Care Dimensions Hospice Services, 75 Sylvan Street, Danvers, MA 01923.
“Honey†had many friends and many lives. We encourage you to share your memories by visiting: www.mauricekirbyfh.com.