PEABODY — Joseph E. Pechinsky, 92, of Peabody, a retired Peabody firefighter, fencing coach and noted artist, died peacefully Thursday morning, Sept. 22, 2011 at the Radius Health Care Center in Danvers after a long illness.
He was born in Peabody on Dec. 23, 1918, the son of the late Julien and Anastasia (Bylinska) Pechinsky and had resided in Peabody most of his life. He was a graduate of Peabody High School in 1937.
He was first employed in the leather industry working in the tanneries of Peabody and got his inspiration to do his paintings of the Peabody tanneries that are now in the Essex Museum in Salem and the Peabody Historical Society in Peabody.
In 1940, he enlisted in the U.S. Army serving five years and was a survivor of the Pearl Harbor Attack on Dec. 7, 1941. He later served in the Pacific theatre campaign prior to his discharge in 1945.
He returned to work in the leather industry and in 1952 , he joined the Peabody Fire Department for 31 years retiring in 1983. During this time, Joe's interest in fencing grew and he started the Tanner City Fencing Club that grew and flourished as he tutored five Olympic champions from the Club. He enjoyed teaching fencing and later was named a national coach for the U.S. Fencing Association and also coached in the Pan American Games and was inducted into the coaching Hall of Fame. Joe also had a love of travel and climbing and climbed the Swiss Alps, Riffelhorn, Matterhorn, Coulvoir, Manta Roza and the Leiterspitze mountains. He had an independent spirit that he could accomplish anything that he set out to do and he used this to encourage his students in fencing. He had been a member of the Salem YMCA and enjoyed doing wrestling and gymnastics there.
He is survived by a sister and brother-in-law, Jennie M. and Raymond Maciewicz of Danvers; and many nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews. He was the brother of the late John, Frank, Benjamin and William Pechinsky.
ARRANGEMENTS: A visitation will be held on Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 82 Lynn St., Peabody facility. His funeral will be held on Monday at 10 a.m. from the funeral home followed by a funeral Mass in St. John's Church, 16 Church St., Peabody at 11 a.m. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Salem. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Peabody Fireman's Relief Fund, 41 Lowell St., Peabody, MA 01960 in his memory.
