Carole A. McManus

Carole A. (Dale) McManus, age 91, formerly of Walpole and Arlington, Massachusetts, passed away on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at her home in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Carole grew up, the oldest of seven children in Arlington, and White Horse Beach, MA, where she worked each summer at Emerson’s General Store and P.O.

An excellent student, Carole attended Arlington public schools. At Arlington High, she served as the GAA president, vice president of the class of 1951 and secretary of the student council. She played field hockey and basketball and was voted “best all around” and “most popular” in her graduating class. Carole stayed in touch with her dear school friends and helped plan Class of 1951 reunions over the decades. After high school, Carole attended the Katherine Gibbs School and worked as a secretary in Boston.

At White Horse Beach, Carole met and dated Joe McManus of Roslindale. They were married in 1955. Carole and Joe lived in a small Roslindale apartment for five years where their first 2 children, Joe and Nancy, were born.

In 1960 Carole & Joe moved to their partially built new house in Walpole where their daughter, Mary-Jane and son, Gregory were born. They finished building the house together. Carole lived and engaged in the Walpole community for 57 years, making many good friends.

Carole was a very talented and creative homemaker who made raising her family well and educating her children the focus of her time and energy. Carole was a wonderful cook, always trying new recipes. She was a talented seamstress who made many of her own clothes, and for her daughters. As a young mother, Carole was active in the Women’s Sodality at Blessed Sacrament Church and in her children’s school activities.

To be of service, Carole hosted foreign graduate students from Boston area colleges for weekends in her home. During the 1970’s, Carole and Joe organized bus trips of young people from the city for weekend “days in the country,” hosted by her family and many others in Walpole.

Carole was a passionate sports fan who followed the Red Sox but really loved college hockey and Boston College and Notre Dame football and basketball. She very much enjoyed spending time and holidays with her extended Dale and McManus families. Having grown up as a “beach person,” Carole, along with Joe, enjoyed winter vacations in Bermuda, and Florida where she could visit her parents, some of her siblings, other relatives and some of her high school friends.

As she got older, Carole got much enjoyment from time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren and took good, patient care of Joe as his health declined. She really enjoyed the social connection and support from dear friends in her weekly coffee group.

Though in declining health, Carole thoroughly enjoyed her 7 years living in the New Horizons assisted living community in Marlborough, where she received excellent care from the New Horizons staff, from her Mary Ann Morse homecare aids and from her Constellation hospice nurses.

Predeceased by her parents, Walter F. and Marie P. (Teeven) Dale of Arlington and White Horse Beach, MA; by her husband, Joseph P. McManus; her daughters, Nancy M. Flaherty and Mary-Jane McManus; and by her siblings, Andrea Sampson, Phyllis Hughes, Priscilla Conley, Walter Dale, Janet Dale and Susan Dale.

Carole is survived by her children, Joseph P. McManus, Jr. and wife, Judith M. Tully of Westborough, MA, Gregory D. and wife, Chrissy McManus of Daniel Island, SC; son-in-law, Joseph Flaherty of Kennebunk, ME; by her sister, Doris and husband, Tom Harrington of Chatham, MA; by her sisters-in-law, Susan Dale of Plymouth, MA and Peg McManus of Needham, MA; by her eight grandchildren, seven great- grandchildren, 41 nieces and nephews and many close friends.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Carole’s Visitation on Friday, March 7, from 4 to 7 pm, in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 8, at 10:00 am, in Blessed Sacrament Church, 10 Diamond Street, Walpole. Interment will follow at Saint Francis Cemetery, in Walpole.

Remembrances may be made to Nativity School of Worcester, 67 Lincoln St., Worcester, MA 01605, for the “Nancy Flaherty Scholarship Fund.”