Husband | Dad | Friend to all

It has been said that the soul of a man can be seen in the eyes of his children.  

Look no further than Jack and beautiful Nora to know the warm, wonderful essence of their truly amazing dad!  

Johnny Antonelli was a bright light in this world. His ear-to-ear smile; his big laugh; his happy-go-lucky demeanor; and his warm, welcoming approach to life made him a beloved ‘good guy.’ He was the one you gravitated to in a crowded room. The rare breed who was a friend to all, foe to none.  

It was no surprise that Johnny was such a diehard Boston sports fan. He was, after all, a city kid through-and-through. The youngest and only son of John and Maureen, Johnny grew up in Hyde Park where he inherited his dad’s magnetic charm and his mom’s caring heart. His older sisters, Krista and Keri, were cheerleaders for their baby brother’s hijinx. He had them laughing from the time he was in a highchair right through adulthood, when their own kids eagerly ate up ‘Uncle Johnny’s’ antics!  

Family meant everything to Johnny. His aunts, uncles, and cousins were more than relatives. They were his best friends and an incredible source of joy in his life. Together with his lifelong friends from childhood, high school at Xaverian, and college at Hofstra, Johnny was surrounded by an army of incredibles who brought out the very best in him.  

And then there was Mollie, the Dorchester girl who stole his gaze and won his heart as winter turned to spring their senior year of high school.    

What followed was a seventeen-year love story: Marriage, two children, and a lifetime of memories from Boston to Hawaii, London to Paris, Napa to Scituate. And Johnny got more than the love of his life when he met Mollie, he got her family, too! The sprawling Murphy clan became a mainstay in Johnny’s life becoming his friends, neighbors in Dorchester, traveling companions, partners in crime, and regulars at his basement bar, Blizzards!   

Johnny loved his job overseeing A/V operations globally for State Street. He loved horse racing and his annual trip to Saratoga with his dad. He loved the Bruins and Patriots and the Super Bowls he got to attend. He loved sitting next to his parents and sisters on their annual summer beach vacation. He loved building a life with Mollie. And what he loved most about that last part was being a dad…  

On Father’s Day 2020 Johnny woke up with a crushing headache. Most of us would have gone back to bed. But Johnny was eager to hug his beloved daughter Nora and to give his own parents the best Father’s Day gift imaginable. At brunch on his parents’ back patio he shared the news that a new baby was on the way. It was to be his namesake, John J. Antonelli, IV.   

The same day that his family heard the joyous news was the same day that Johnny went to the E.R. for that headache. Tests would reveal an aggressive brain tumor and life was never the same. Months of treatment and surgeries by some of Boston’s best doctors and nurses ensued. There was a groundswell of support from friends, family, and strangers. And there was a display of dedication and devotion by Mollie that was remarkable and beautiful.  

Sadly, we lost Johnny in November of 2020, six weeks before his son was born.  

Johnny Antonelli made this world, our world, a better place. He was an amazing person with a beautiful soul. We could fill a dozen websites with words of praise. It’s why we opened this page with a photograph. Two beautiful, smiling, happy kids. Johnny’s kids.   

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. 

Donations may be made payable to

The John Antonelli Memorial Fund

c/o Mollie Antonelli

75 Mayfield Street

Dorchester, MA 02125

or by visiting any Rockland Trust Bank