Mr. Walter Joseph Cahill

Walter Joseph Cahill June 13,1938 – January 16, 2026 Loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Wally Cahill, 87, of Lowell, MA, passed away peacefully on January 16, 2026 after spending his last days expressing his love for and being surrounded by all of his children and grandchildren. Born on June 13, 1938, in Lowell, MA, to Joseph and Marcella (McInnis) Cahill, he was the 13th born and last surviving of 15 children. A lifelong resident of Lowell, MA, Wally was educated at St. Peter’s School and Lowell High and spent time serving as an altarboy. He put in years of hard work as a union laborer with the local 429 before taking a position as a building inspector, a role he would fill until his retirement. In order to keep social, he continued to work for Kazanjian until last year. Always happy to spark conversation, he was a favorite patron at many Lowell establishments, and many referred to him as the unofficial mayor of Lowell. Family was everything to him, and so it’s no surprise that he wasted no time in starting one of his own. After getting married in 1959, Wally and AnnMarie spent the next 30 years watching their kids play at Shedd Park and many other fields and gymnasiums around Lowell. The love for his family truly shone through when his children started having children of their own. His greatest joy was spending time with his children and grandchildren, and watching them achieve many great accomplishments. He is survived by his childhood sweetheart and loving wife, AnnMarie (Whalen) Cahill, and five children: Walter Cahill and his wife Janet of Nashua, NH; William Cahill and his wife Donna of Methuen, MA; Kevin Cahill and his wife Laurie of Dracut, MA; Donna Barrows and her husband Robert of Nashua, NH; and Gregg Cahill and his partner Chris Barber, of Los Angeles, CA. He is also survived by Sar Chhom, who was like an “adopted” son to Wally and AnnMarie, and his beautiful family, Amy, Ella, and John. He will be dearly missed by his nine grandchildren, Sean and Emma (Bauman) Barrows, Casey (Cahill) and David Gardner, Meaghan Barrows, Brian Barrows, Ryan Cahill, Timothy Cahill, Kevin Barrows, Molly Cahill, and Hannah Cahill, and two great-grandchildren, Bentley Gardner and Quinn Barrows. He will also be remembered by many nieces and nephews, and untold numbers of friends, all of whom he loved like family. Wally was predeceased by his son, James J. Cahill, and his 14 siblings: Edward, John, Julia Keenan, Thomas, Helen (Gentile) Zousimas, Teresa Gonsalves, Joseph, Paul, Gerald, Hugh, Dorothy Scott, Elizabeth Murphy, Henry, and Joseph. Visitations will be held at Fay McCabe Funeral Home in Lowell, MA on Wednesday January 21 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM. Funeral services will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Dracut, MA on Thursday January 22 at 10:00 AM. A committal service will follow the funeral at the chapel at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Tewksbury, MA. The family would also like to say a very heartfelt thank you to all of Wally’s friends and caretakers at both Lowell General Hospital, especially the team on floor D4, and Billerica Crossings. The love and care you showed him over the years is something he never took for granted, and is endlessly appreciated by all of us. As an expression of sympathy, donations in Walter’s memory can be made to the Lowell General Hospital Cancer Center. Lowell General Hospital Donations. ARRANGEMENTS BY THE FAY McCABE FUNERAL DIRECTORS 978-459-9222 www.faymccabe.com

Mr. Walter Joseph Cahill

June 13, 1938 - January 16, 2026