Marrinan joined the Police Department in 1940, and retired in 1969.
Springfield Police Officer Peter Marrinan, left, died Sunday at the age of 102. In this photo, Springfield Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet presents Marrinan with a citation, a badge and a patch for his years of service during a party celebrating his 101st birthday last year. SPRINGFIELD – Peter Marrinan, who was the oldest living retired city police officer, died Sunday, days after his 102nd birthday and a year after a tribute party in which he was honored for his years of service.
Patrolman Michael Carney, a friend, said that giving Marrinan a birthday party and tribute last June “was one of the happiest days of our careers.” Marrinan, who celebrated his 102nd birthday June 2, was born in Illaunbaun, County Clare, Ireland, where he lived with his seven brothers and seven sisters until 1930, when he immigrated to America. On his arrival in Springfield during the Great Depression, he completed Evening High School at the High School of Commerce in 1935 and worked as an orderly at the former Springfield Hospital for several years.
Prior to World War II, he was a guard at the American Bosch and served in the U.S. Army-Air Force from 1942 to 1945, during which he was stationed in Shemya, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, where he was awarded the Bronze Star.
“He came from Ireland like my parents,” Carney said. “He was a family friend and a great police officer. We will never see again, I am sure at least in my lifetime, a Springfield police officer live to see 102.”
Marrinan’s son, Peter J. Marrinan of Londonderry, N.H., said his father’s “circle of life was huge.”
“He was definitely a dedicated family man, always putting his family before anything else,” Marrinan said. “He built a house we all grew up in, and continued his love of planting vegetables every year and gardening with flowers.”
Marrinan had joined the Police Department in 1940, and retired in 1969. After his retirement from the police force, he started a new career as a stationary fireman at the former Industrial Builders Corp. in Chicopee until he was close to 80.
Friends and family gathered last June to celebrate Marrinan’s 101st birthday at the Reed’s Landing retirement community.
Carney presented Marrinan with a new watch at last June’s party on behalf of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local 364. It was engraved with Marrinan’s name and the dates of his police service, June 4, 1940 to Jan. 5, 1969.
Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet was among officers who attended last year’s celebration of Marrinan’s life and service.
“I’m a lucky guy,” Marrinan said at the time, before a large gathering of family, friends and officers. “You’re all friends of mine.”
“I had a good department,” Marrinan said. “I never had any problems. If there were problems, we would solve them.”
During his tribute party he received a letter of recognition for his service, a new police patch, and his own high-tech identification card that all police officers have.
Visiting hours are Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Sampson’s Chapel of the Acres Funeral Home on Tinkham Road. The funeral is Thursday at Sampson’s at 8:30 a.m., followed by a Mass at 10 a.m. at Holy Cross Church on Plumtree Road.