John Marshall Sargeant

John Marshall Sargeant, 80, passed away on August 7th, 2023, after a long struggle with Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease. He began and ended his life in Boston and resided in Worcester for many of the years in between. In his earlier years, John acted in and directed several plays for the Brookline Amateurs, the Footlight Club (of Boston), and other theater productions.

A man with infinite empathy, John was immensely engaged in the arts of all kinds. He was a true music and film buff with a vast and eclectic collection of both. John’s sense of humor was deep and uncanny and included an admiration of satirical, deadpan, “improv,” and stand-up comedy. He was also an ardent animal lover who passionately supported various animal rights causes. 

John spent most of his professional career at Blue Cross Blue Shield, where, among other achievements, he played an integral role in the quality assurance of its Medicare administration, a novel program at the time. Later in his career, he led the “Front Desk” at the Central Branch YMCA of Worcester, MA, where he touched the hearts of many employees and countless members. John was consistently recognized for his dedication and unique talent of instantly “reading a room” and handling all situations with tact and diplomacy.  

John’s greatest pride and joy was being the father and best friend of his son, David, who survives him along with his daughter-in-law, Gina, two grandchildren, Isaiah and Avery, all of Framingham, and friend and former wife, Terry (Sullivan) Seymour, of Marlborough. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill on Saturday, September 9th, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory can be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) or the Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA).     

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