Marlborough - John T. "Jack" Achilles, Jr., 80, of Marlborough died peacefully at home with his family by his side on Monday January 27, 2014 after a brief illness. He was the husband of Gay J. (Bader) Achilles for the past 60 years. He was born in Boston, raised in Dorchester and Roslindale, the son of the late John T. "Jack" Achilles, Sr. and Bessie B. (Smith) Achilles, and was a graduate of Boston Tech High School Class of 1951. Following graduation Jack enlisted in the United States Navy where he proudly served his country during the KoreanWar from 1952-1956. After a honorable discharge from the Navy, Jack received an Engineering Degree from Northeastern University in Boston.  He was an engineer for Honeywell Corporation for 19 years and both Raytheon in Sudbury and Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard for many years. At the age of 52 Jack sought a new career and became an EMT and EMT Instructor for American Medical Response formerly Caulk Ambulance. He was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Hudson where he was head elder. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and archery and was a longtime member of the Marlboro Fish & Game but Jack's greatest passion other than his family was US History. He was a member of the 64thInfantry Regiment based in New York, and participated in numerous war reenactments throughout the US and Canada. He was a generous, caring, social and personable gentleman, known for his great "bear hugs" and known to so many as "smiling Jack". His grandchildren as well as many other children remember how he enjoyed visiting elementary classrooms giving talks and demonstrations on the Revolutionary War.

Besides his wife, he leaves two sons, David J. Achilles, and his wife Gayle of Rutland and Thomas L. Achilles, and his wife Brenda of Clinton; two daughters, Susan G. Frilet of Holden and Diane M. Finne, and her husband Earl of Auburn; nine grandchildren, Nicole, Shane, Tyler, Melia, Alison, Jessica, Joshua, Yoann, Carly; two great grandchildren, Kameron and Kylee.

A Funeral Service will be held Friday January 31 at 11:00 a.m. in the Fitzgerald & Collins Funeral Home, 378 Lincoln Street, Marlborough. A time of visitation will be held Friday prior to the service from 9:30-11:00 a.m.  Burial with military honors will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Wilson Street, Marlborough. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to ADRA International ( www.ADRA.org ), 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904 . A CELEBRATION OF LIFE WILL BE HELD SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22 AT 2:00 P.M. IN THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH, 94 MARLBORO STREET, HUDSON.