Francis Beirne Lovely Jr. ’67

Francis Beirne Lovely Jr. ’67 of Milton, Massachusetts, died on June 7. He came to the College from Lynn Classical High School, majored in government, and was a brother of Chi Phi. He was active in Army ROTC and upon graduation chose to receive his commission as an officer in the Marine Corps. Beirne deployed to Vietnam in January of 1968 and led his men in the 1st Battalion 9th Marines into battle in Khe Sanh during the Tet Offensive. For his heroism, Beirne was awarded two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart, a Navy Commendation Medal, and a Navy Achievement Medal. In 1972 Beirne married Joan Camden and enrolled in Boston University Law School, where he became managing editor of the law review. He graduated cum laude in 1975 and began a successful career in corporate law at Herrick and Smith before being recruited to Goodwin Procter, where he was selected for early partnership. In 2007 Beirne began a second career as the first in-house general counsel for the Archdiocese of Boston, which he considered the privilege of a lifetime. He was involved in the Town of Milton for more than 25 years in many capacities, including as a member of the warrant committee, a corporator at Milton Hospital, a town meeting member, president of the Milton High School Boosters, and chair of the school committee. Beirne is survived by Joan; children Kristen, Michelle, David, and Gregory and their families; and brother Ed, and his wife, Barbara.