Obituary of Noel Joseph Holland

LINK to funeral mass

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Noel Joseph Holland, an Irish Immigrant and retired Mechanical Engineer who achieved his American dream, passed away at 89 years of age, surrounded by his loving family on December 26, 2023.

Noel was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of nine children born to Samuel and Ellen (O’Hara) Holland. In his youth, Noel displayed impressive drive, earning recognition as an exceedingly bright student and an exceptional runner. At a very young age, Noel traveled the world, living and working in London, UK and Lille, France. He eventually made the decision to move to the United States. 

Upon arriving in the US and hoping to serve his new home country, Noel enlisted in the United States Air Force. Based at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, he served with distinction and held the rank of Airman Second Class. 

After military service, Noel settled in Cambridge, MA, where he began his new professional career at Cryovac. It was here that he met his future wife, Aenea Marie Casey. They married in 1961. Together, they began to build a life together and started a family, initially residing first in Cambridge, then in Woburn, before eventually settling in Burlington in 1966. 

During this time, Noel continued to demonstrate remarkable dedication and perseverance in building his career and supporting his family, attending night school at Northeastern University in Boston, MA for eight years. Despite the challenges of balancing a growing family and career, Noel completed the program, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Simultaneously, he continued to grow professionally, working at CTI Cryogenics and ultimately concluding his distinguished professional journey with retirement from Arthur D. Little in Cambridge.

Noel came to the US alone and with little, looking to build a life he could be proud of. Through unwavering hard work, dedication, and perseverance, Noel realized his American dream - a successful career, a warm and loving home, and a beautiful family to whom he devoted his entire life to. He found satisfaction in the simple pleasures - cultivating a flourishing garden, reading and learning extensively about Astronomy and History, reading the Boston Globe each morning, golfing and watching tennis, and maintaining a committed daily exercise routine at the gym every morning at 5am, accompanied by his dear friends, Bobby and Carl. On weekend nights, Noel could often be found at the kitchen table surrounded by his wife, Aenea, and the Casey clan playing cards for hours on end. He cherished the special times when his family from London, Australia, and Ireland were able to make the journey to visit his home in Burlington. This life, with friends and the family he and Aenea lovingly built, was the one he had always dreamed of. 

Family was everything to Noel. He took immense pride in each of his daughters and shared a unique bond with his son, Brian, whom he loved and supported unconditionally. This love extended boundlessly to each of his eight grandchildren. For Noel, the joy and fulfillment he received from his family was immeasurable, defining the essence of his purpose and happiness. 

Noel was the beloved husband of 62 years of Aenea Marie (Casey) Holland. Loving father of Joanne Van Stry & her husband Michael of Burlington, the late Brian Holland, Patricia Miniutti of Burlington, Karen Hagberg & her husband Robert of Avon, CT. He was the proud grandfather of Erica & Monica Van Stry, Cameron, Griffin & Patrick Miniutti, Johnny, Samantha & Madison Hagberg. Brother of William Holland of Australia, Clare O’Sullivan of London, Patricia Arlo of Australia, Florence Allen of Ireland, the late Jackie Holland, Allan Holland, Anne Fleming, and the late Monica Holland. Also survived by many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home on Tuesday, Jan. 2 from 10 to 11:30am. Services will conclude with a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret Church in St. Veronica Parish, www.stveronicama.org, 111 Winn St., Burlington at Noon.

Memorials in Noel’s name may be made to the Museum of Science, www.mos.org, 1 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114.  

For online guestbook and video tribute see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net