Tom Hackenson - A Devoted Public Servant

    The fiscal crisis in Massachusetts from 1989 through 1994 was financially devastating to cities and towns,
    but Mendon's way of enduring it was what many people might regard as unthinkable. Town boards had to
    reduce their budgets. Many builders had gone bankrupt. Housing subdivisions were left unfinished. Real
    estate taxes went uncollected. There was a reduction in state aid. The bottom had fallen out of the mid-
    1980's prosperity that Governor Dukakis had boasted as the "Massachusetts Miracle." Mendon tightened
    its belt, but at the same time pulled off what would have been improbable in any other town. It built three
    new public buildings.

    By 1989, Mendon' growth in population required a need for more space for town services. Senior citizens
    had no place to gather. The highway department needed more room for its trucks and equipment. The
    police department lacked adequate space in its location in the basement of Town Hall. Dispatchers
    worked from their homes. There was not enough floor space to meet state required upgrades.  The need
    for new buildings was most evident, but the prevailing  economic climate made the chances for such new
    construction very remote.

    Tom Hackenson, who had an extensive background of public service and expertise in the building trade,
    volunteered to coordinate an effort to address the town's building needs. He successfully solicited
    volunteer help, financial donations, and contributions of building materials. As chairman of the Mendon
    Council on Aging, he and his volunteer crew worked on weekends to begin construction of a new senior
    center at 62 Providence Road. His crew included his brother, Bill, and his sons, Steve and Tom, and other
    dedicated carpenters. The building was completed , and an open house was held on October 28, 1990.
    Three hundred grateful residents attended as the town was presented a beautiful new building at no cost.

    Tom's second project was to work with a building committee and volunteers to construct a new highway
    barn at 66 Providence Road. Many town officials, local contractors,  and residents gave generously of their
    time and skills to construct a building that had a floor space of 9,920 square feet. With equipment and  
    many building materials donated, the cost to the town was minimal for a building of its size. The new,
    spacious highway barn opened in November 1991 and turned over to Tom Guerra, Highway Surveyor.  

    As the former highway barn behind Town Hall was vacated, Mr. Hackenson offered his services to convert  
    it to a police station. Tom, his sons, his brother, several members of the police department, and other
    volunteers, donated their time on weekends and in their spare time to provide a new building of expanded
    workspace. The town provided money from its stabilization fund to cover the costs of materials.  The newly
    converted building was completed in August 1994 and presented to Chief Dennis Grady and the Mendon
    Police Department.

    Tom Hackenson's  low-key leadership, his boundless energy,  his dedication to public service, and his
    love for his town enabled Mendon to construct three new public buildings when other towns were
    struggling to avoid economic disaster. In addition to spearheading  the construction of three buildings, he
    served for many years as an assessor and a town and state building inspector. In 1967, he was an active
    participant in Mendon's 300th anniversary celebration, particularly in planning and organizing the parade.
    Tom's contributions to the town of Mendon have been most commendable.  He has served us in an  
    exemplary manner. He  has been an outstanding citizen, the likes of which we may never see again.

    Richard Grady
    Family friend,   January 30, 2015

                                                                                          
Mendon Menu   

    Thomas D. Hackenson, 85, of Mendon passed away in his home on Jan. 25, 2015 with his family by his
    side. He was the husband of Dorothy A. (Charge) Hackenson. Mr. Hackenson was a State Building
    Inspector for the Commonwealth of MA for 35 years before his retirement in 2012. In addition, he had been
    the building inspector for Mendon for over 40 years. He was a carpenter for the former Carlton Goss
    Construction Co. He was Town Assessor for the town of Mendon for 59 years and coordinated the
    construction of the Mendon Senior Center. He renovated the old Highway Building into the present Police
    Dept. Building, and he was a member of the Mendonham Brothers of the Brush. His hobby was
    construction and building projects. Thomas was born on March 8, 1929 in Mendon, the son of the late
    Albert Hackenson and Grace (Taft) Hackenson. He was a lifelong resident of Mendon. In addition to his
    wife, he is survived by his children Thomas M. Hackenson and his wife Kathryn, Stephen A. Hackenson
    and his wife Sharon, Mary E. Hackenson and Nancy G. Bogan and her husband Michael all of Mendon; his
    7 grandchildren John A. Tycks, Molly Tycks, Matt Hackenson, Nicki Hackenson, Jamie Lee Hackenson,
    Megan Hackenson, and Katie Hackenson and one great grandchildren Gunner Thomas Hackenson. He
    was predeceased by his two brothers William Hackenson and Robert Hackenson. Visiting hours will be
    Sunday Feb. 1, 2015 from 12 Noon to 3 PM in BUMA FUNERAL HOME, 101 North Main St. (Rt. 122),
    Uxbridge. Funeral services will be held Mon. Feb. 2, 2015 at 8:45 AM from the funeral home followed by a
    Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM in St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, 151 Mendon St.,Upton, 01568. Burial
    will follow in Swan Dale Cemetery, Hartford Ave. East., Mendon. Donations may be made to St. Jude
    Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105. www.bumafuneralhome.
    com

    Published in Milford Daily News from Jan. 27 to Jan. 28, 2015

    Dorothy A. Hackenson, 90, passed away peacefully on Friday April 17, 2020 at her home on Lake
    Nipmuc. She was married for 66 years to the late Thomas D. Hackenson who died in 2015.

    Dorothy was born in Hopedale, the daughter of the late George and Dora (Wharton) Charge. She was
    predeceased by her four sisters Francis Charge, Mary Charge, Helen Hackenson, and Nancy Wagner.

    A love of children and teaching inspired Dorothy to open Just-A-Wee Day School in 1961. She later
    worked at H.P. Clough Elementary School as a kindergarten aid. She always enjoyed spending time with
    her family and friends, especially by entertaining them at her Cape Cod summer home. She was also a
    dedicated member of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in Upton.

    She is survived by two sons; Thomas Hackenson and his wife Kathy and Steven Hackenson and his wife
    Sharon; two daughters; Mary Hackenson and Nancy Bogan and her husband Mike; seven grandchildren,
    Matt and Nicki Hackenson, Jamie Lee Carloni, Molly Moore, John Tycks, Megan Hackenson and Katie
    Brueckner and two great-grandchildren, Dexter and Gunner.

    A memorial Mass will be held at a later date.

    Memorial donations may be made to St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish,151 Mendon St., Upton, MA 01568
    or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

    Arrangements by Buma Funeral Homes, Uxbridge.

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