Joseph Oneschuk, Sr., 85, of Milford, MA, passed away peacefully at the Blaire House in Milford on Saturday, February 16, 2019.
Born and raised in Milford, he was the son of Alexander and Rosalie Oneschuk. He was the brother of the late Alexander Oneschuk, Jr., Alice Oneschuk, Tina Oneschuk, Manya Oneschuk, Olga Anderson, Lillian O. Smart, and Rosalie Calhoun.
He is survived by Kathleen (Dowd) Oneschuk, his beloved wife of 53 years, his daughter Kate Meo and her husband Chris Meo, his son Joseph Oneschuk, Jr. and his wife Ashley Nelson Oneschuk and his granddaughter, Cadence May Oneschuk. He is survived by his sister Anna Parente, wife of the late James Parente, as well as many nieces and nephews.
After graduating from Milford High School in 1951, he earned his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Education from Boston University. He served as Band Master Sergeant and Chief Instructor at the U.S. Army Band Training School at Fort Dix in New Jersey. In 1958, he began his public school teaching career in the Leicester Public Schools, MA. He then accepted the position of Band Director at Framingham South High School in 1963. In 1968, he became the Director of Fine Arts for the Framingham Public Schools, a position that he held until his retirement in 1999, after which he became a professor and Chair of the Music Education Department at the Boston Conservatory for two years.
In addition to performing professionally on trumpet and upright bass, he was a member of MMEA (Massachusetts Music Educator Association), MENC (Music Educators National Conference), the Worcester Musicians Union, and EPRTA (Eastham Part-time-Resident Taxpayers Association). Joseph held many leadership positions in his career. He served as president of MMEA and EPTRA, as well as Manager and Chairperson for District, State, and Eastern Division Music Educator Conferences. He was named a Licensure and Recertification Liaison to the Massachusetts Department of Education. He was honored as a recipient of the Lowell Mason Music Educator Award and the MMEA Distinguished Service Award. Locally, Joseph was well known as the conductor of the Milford Concert Band for 28 years. He was proud to be elected Mayor of Prospect Heights in 1975, and he enjoyed presiding over events as the Master of Ceremonies at the Milford Portuguese Club and other local venues. For over fifteen years, he served as the Choir Director at the Milford Congregational Church. He loved spending time on Cape Cod, cooking, reading, performing, attending concerts, and being with family and friends. His favorite motto was, “No matter where you roam, Prospect Heights is still your home.”
Visiting hours will be held at the Consigli-Ruggerio Funeral Home, 46 Water Street, Milford, on Tuesday February 19, 2019, from 3-6pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, 17 Winter Street, Milford, at 10am on Wednesday February 20, 2019, followed by burial in the Vernon Grove Cemetery in Milford.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute at: www.dana-farber.org/gift.