Joseph Stuart Buckley, Jr., 74 of Ashland, passed away peacefully in his sleep on April 17, 2025 after a long illness.  Born in Malden, he was the son of the late Joseph Stuart Buckley, Sr. and Audrey Buckley (Hanifan).  He will be sorely missed, but there is much comfort in knowing he is in a better place.

Joe was the beloved husband of Dawne Buckley (desRosiers) for forty-seven years.  He was the devoted father of Jennifer Dalen (Richard), Bryce Buckley (Panasaya), and Timothy Buckley (Cassandra), and the loving grandfather of Addison, Avery, Sloane, Archer, Jackson and Theo.  He is survived by his brothers Jeffrey (Christiana) and Gary (Susan), sister Mary Ann,  sister-in-law Nancy, mother-in-law Kathleen DesRosiers, brother-in-law Jared desRosiers (Jennifer), sisters-in-law Nicole Jones (David), Lisa Holt (Robert), and Jannie desRosiers Berman (Larry), and many beloved nieces and nephews.  He is predeceased by his brother Peter and brother-in-law Paul.

Joe grew up in Melrose and graduated from Melrose High School in 1968.  He went on to Bates College where he majored in History and was a member of the track team before graduating in 1972.  He attended Suffolk Law School, and after passing the bar, secured a position with Murphy & Beane, where he developed his specialty in Workers Compensation law.  In 1982, he moved to Morrison Mahoney LLP and made partner five years later.  During his thirty-four year tenure with the firm, he was a diligent and conscientious advocate for his clients and a trusted and reliable partner to his colleagues.  He retired in 2016 to devote time to his family.

Joe met Dawne at Bates during his senior year and her sophomore year, with their first date being on his graduation weekend.  After a few years of a long distance relationship while they pursued their respective graduate degrees, they married in 1977 and settled in Framingham.  Joe and Dawne soon welcomed their daughter, Jen, followed by sons, Bryce and Tim.  Joe was a fixture at his kids' activities, cheering from the sidelines, and offering advice and support whenever needed.  After retiring, Joe transitioned seamlessly from full-time attorney to full-time grandfather.  He and Dawne enjoyed spending time with each other, taking day trips throughout Massachusetts, and traveling.  They enjoyed nothing more than spending time with their growing family.  In 2023, they moved to Ashland.

Joe was a lifelong sports fan.  He grew up going to games with his father and fostered a similar passion with his own children.  Many nights and weekends were spent watching or listening to games.  He was a Patriots season ticket holder for over 30 years, attended three Super Bowls, and shared innumerable Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins games with his family and friends.  Even with Boston's recent two-decade run of successes and championships, Joe (somehow) never shed his long-ingrained mentality of long-suffering Boston sports fan.

A funeral mass will be celebrated Wednesday April 23 at 11:00 AM at St. Bridget Parish, 830 Worcester Rd., Framingham, MA.  Visiting hours will be held Tuesday from 4:00-7:00 PM at the Matarese Funeral Home, 325 Main St., Ashland, MA.  A private burial will take place at a later date.

Joe did not have a greenthumb, so in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to his favorite charity, The Globe Santa: The Boston Globe Foundation ℅ Globe Santa, PO Box 491, Medford, MA 02155-0005 , or Globe Santa .