Michael J. Houlihan

HOLDEN - Michael J. Houlihan, 53, of Holden, passed away peacefully after a courageous, three year battle with cancer, at St. Vincent Hospital on Saturday, April 1, 2017.  He was born and raised in Worcester, the son of John and Doris (Peloquin) Houlihan. He was a graduate of Holy Name High School and Worcester State College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in geology. He was a Product Manager for the former New England Telephone Company and Verizon for 25 years. Michael’s children were the center of his life and he was a loving and devoted “dad” to them.  A family vacation to Sanibel Island not long ago will be a treasured memory.  With a passion for scuba diving came his talent for underwater photography. He enjoyed tending to his tropical fish, and even more so, to the “oasis” he created in his backyard.  Michael found peace in his faith and was a member of St. Mary’s Church. He will be lovingly missed by his three children, Patrick, Jack and Claire Houlihan; his wife, Pamela (Moore) Houlihan all of Holden; his mother, Doris Houlihan of Worcester; his three sisters, Patricia Foley-Donovan and her husband, Daniel of Shrewsbury, Kathleen M. Buthray and her husband, Joel of Holden and Susan A. Buesinger and her husband, Robert of Texas; several nieces and nephews and his devoted companions, Murphy and Bear.  He is predeceased by his father, John Houlihan and special friends, Max and Riley. Mike's family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Ryan Sullivan and the research team at Mass. General Hospital in Boston; as well as Dr. David Shepro and the entire oncology staff at the Saint Vincent's Cancer and Wellness Center in Worcester for a their love, care and support. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Michael’s family from 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 6, at St. Mary’s Church, 114 Princeton St., Jefferson. Burial will take place at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made, in honor of Mike to the Massachusetts General Hospital, Development Office, Attn: Megan Daniels, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 450, Boston, MA 02114, these donations will benefit the Dr. Sullivan Cancer Research Fund. To share a memory or offer an online condolence, please visit the "Guest Book" here on this page.