John “Jack” H. Bouchie, who lived in Chelsea for more than 80 years before following his son to Hawaii and then Arizona, died on Thursday, November 5, 2026, in Rio Rico, Arizona. He was 94.
He was born on February 13, 1932, the only child of Louis Bouchie and Belle (Chessman) Bouchie. He grew up in the Central Avenue projects and in later years lived on Admiral’s Hill. He was married for more than 40 years to Dorothy (Lenehan) Bouchie, who died before him; his family says he will be buried beside her.
He served in the Army during the Korean War. Back home he ran presses at the Forbes Lithograph Company in Chelsea, worked for Jordan Marsh in Boston, and later worked for the City of Chelsea at the City Yard.
Around the city he was known for the cigar he was seldom without and for his appetite for conversation. The Irish Club in Chelsea, the McDonald’s in Prattville and Daisy Buchanan’s on Newbury Street in Boston were among his regular stops. He followed the Celtics from the cheap seats of the old Boston Garden in the 1950s and 1960s and kept following them for the rest of his life, including one last game in person in Arizona.
In 2015 he moved to Honolulu to live near his son, John “Buzz” Bouchie, and became a regular at Duke’s on Waikiki Beach. His family recalls that he met Chick Corea, the jazz pianist who grew up in Chelsea, and handed him a Chelsea Red Devils shirt. In January 2024 he moved with his son’s family to Arizona.
He leaves his son, John “Buzz” Bouchie; his daughter-in-law, Raquel Bouchie; a granddaughter, Angela Bouchie; cousins Michele Valle, Denise Boucher and Richie Bouchie; and extended family including Carmen Medina and Brenda Lopez.
A memorial is planned for the spring of 2027, with burial at Holy Cross Cemetery in Everett. Arrangements are by Sensible Funerals and Cremation in Arizona.
Compiled from information published by Sensible Funerals & Cremation, Arizona. Photograph courtesy of the family via Sensible Funerals & Cremation. This is our own summary, not the family’s obituary; read the full obituary and leave a condolence at the funeral home’s website. Corrections: we will fix any error promptly.