Obituary of Peter A Moloney

Peter A. Moloney passed away suddenly on Friday, March 22, 2024. He was 65 years old. Peter was born in Cambridge to Irish immigrants, Peter B. and Mary J. (O’Callaghan) Moloney. 

The eldest of five children, he always kept a protective watch over his siblings. They are grateful for his support and encouragement over the years – and for wearing down their parents. Peter was their role model, and he was so proud of each one of them. Even though he never truly got the hang of texting, he was always calling to check in on everyone.

Peter grew up in Burlington, and from a very early age, he was captivated by cars. So, he studied automotive repair at Shawsheen Technical High School. After graduating in 1976, he went to work for AAMCO Transmission as a mechanic. He then went on to open his own repair shop, Transmission and Performance Specialists, in Wakefield in 1996. 

He took great pride in owning his business and creating a large loyal clientele. A 12-hour day was his norm, and he often worked Saturdays to accommodate his customers. He did everything from working on cars and maintaining the garage to paying the bills and interacting with his customers. Some of his customers were car fanatics who owned muscle cars and antiques, and Peter was the only person they trusted to work on their prized possessions. Peter was honest and trustworthy, and he treated his customers like they were family.  

Seeking to slow down and spend more time with his family, he sold his business and became an independent auto insurance appraiser. He spent six years with Hallmark Auto Appraisers and ended his career with Home and Auto Appraisers in Dorchester.  During his career, he also owned Moloney’s Limousine Service.  He had a fleet of three stretch limousines and operated the business for over seven years.  

Peter always had the coolest cars, including Mustangs, a Chevelle SS, an AMC Javelin, a Grand AM, a Riviera and a 58 Buick as well as a variety of Chevys, Mercedes and Denalis. He always made sure his wife had the nicest car of all.

He was a big Nascar fan and had a large collection of Diecast memorabilia. Friends and family called Peter the “Car Doctor” because he was their go-to person for car repair assistance and advice. He was always willing to roll up his sleeves to fix an issue. 

Peter met the love of his life and future wife, Andrea Dooley, when they were teenagers working at the Bonanza restaurant in Burlington. In only a matter of months, he swept her off her feet. In their early days, they went on many adventures and took plenty of camping trips. Peter made sure Andrea had all the luxuries of home in a tent. He was “glamping” before it was a thing. 

Peter and Andrea married and built their forever home in Billerica in 1983. This forever home became their continual project for 40 years, and they loved working on it together. His home was his castle, and he was always so proud to host family and friends for the many occasions that occurred in their 40 years.

Andrea – or Ang, as he called her – was his “queen,” and their daughter Taylor was his “little princess.” His main goal in life was to make them happy and fill their lives with joy, which he did above and beyond. He happily worked hard so Andrea could be a stay-at-home mom to Taylor — the love of their lives. 

Eventually, they traded tents in for a camper and then the camper in for a vacation home in Old Orchard Beach. Peter, Andrea and Taylor also took annual family vacations, and some of his favorites were a California coastline road trip, a Montreal vacation and a visit to the Grand Canyon. These were memories Peter spent a lot of time reminiscing about in recent days. 

In 2019, planning for their retirement, Peter and Andrea purchased a home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. They had so much to look forward to. 

Peter’s passing only 15 months after his daughter Taylor’s passing leaves his wife Andrea heartbroken. Andrea knows Peter died from a broken heart. Taylor was his world and he so missed all the phone calls, texts and visits he had with her. She was a Daddy’s girl, and he couldn’t have been prouder. 

Peter was everyone’s source of strength and guidance, and he was the first to lend a helping hand. He was the glue that kept everyone connected. His family will always remember his smile, his distinct laugh and his bright, happy persona. People always said when you meet Peter, you meet a friend. He was the eternal optimist, and everyone loved him unconditionally. Peter will be fiercely missed, but he will live forever in the hearts of all those he loved and cared for.

Peter was the loving husband of Andrea (Dooley) Moloney. He was the beloved father of Taylor Christina Moloney. He was the brother of Timothy Moloney & his late wife Susan of Methuen, Kevin Moloney & his wife Kathi of Lowell, Caroline Souza & her husband Jim of Burlington, and Kerry Ferreira & her husband Mark of Billerica. He was the brother-in-law of Kevin Dooley & his longtime companion Denise Andreotes of Upton, Gregory Dooley of Burlington, and Kathleen & Christopher Roche of Westford.  He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and friends.  

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, March 27 at 10 a.m. at St. Malachy’s Church in Burlington. A celebration of Life event at Chopps Steakhouse in Boston Marriott Burlington will immediately follow the service. Relatives and friends are encouraged to attend to honor and celebrate Peter’s life. 

Memorials in Peter’s name may be made to Always Andy’s Mom — an organization and podcast dedicated to helping grieving parents. Andrea found this podcast early on in her grief journey after the death of her daughter. Peter knew these podcasts were a lifesaver to Andrea and he himself had recently started listening to them.  You can learn more about this organization here.

For online guest book and video tribute see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net. Arrangements by the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, Burlington.