Aldina Marie (Coehlo) Herlihy

Deena Herlihy was born as the third of four sisters, to Arthur and Belmira Coelho, who had come to the United States from Portugal to Milford, Massachusetts. Her mother gave birth to her at home, which was common at the time, and grew up in a little two-bedroom house. She shared one of those bedrooms with her three sisters, Elsie, Lydia, and Alice.

Her parents were part of a thriving Portuguese community, where her father was active in the Portuguese Club. Milford, at the time, was mostly made up of immigrants from Europe, and their neighbors were Italian, Irish and Portuguese. Her father opened a grocery store, where he was known for supporting newly-arrived Portuguese immigrants as they settled into the community. His pride of his Portuguese roots, and his love for his newly-adopted country was known by all, as he never felt anything but gratitude as a new citizen to the United States.

Deena learned English when she started school at five years old – a year earlier than usual. Although at sixteen she was the youngest of her classmates, she graduated in the top five percent of her class at Milford High School.

It was at Milford High School that she met Bob Herlihy, with whom she went to prom, and who loved her for the rest of his life. Deena and Bob worked together after high school, until Bob entered the US Air Force during the Korean War. She wrote to him regularly, and when he came back on leave to Milford, he asked her to marry him. She agreed at first, but wanted to wait until he was out of the service to have the wedding.  “I have a feeling that, if you don’t marry me now, you never will”, Bob insisted. He had loved her a long time, and was ready to start their life together. After their wedding on May 15, 1954, they both went back to Mill Valley, California, where Bob worked as an engineer for the US Air Force. She always said she had such great memories of that area and considered it to be a year-long honeymoon for them. They returned to their hometown of Milford, and moved into the apartment over her parents’ store, where they soon discovered they would welcome their first child, Bonnie Jean.

Two years later, a son, Bob, would arrive, and the family would outgrow the little apartment on Water Street. Deena and Bob were doing well, as he had taken an engineering  position at Telechron, soon to acquired by General Electric. Deena worked as an engineer at Massachusetts Electric. They decided to move and build a house in the new neighborhood of Ivy Lane. This time, they built a two-bedroom apartment for Deena’s parents as an addition to their new home.

Deena made the most of her happy life, and in addition to her career at Massachusetts Electric, she found time to be a cub scout den mother, a PTA president, and made sure that her children had music lessons, scouting, and art lessons. The family attended Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, and although she wanted her children go to Milford public schools, they were required to go to catechism until high school graduation.

Their house on Whip-o-Will Lane was a place where Deena and Bob entertained often. They traveled extensively and visited several countries in Europe, as well as visiting Canada and most of the U.S. states.

Her daughter married and gave them their first grandchild, Noel. Bob married Deborah, and had a son, Trevor, and stayed in Milford. Bonnie moved to Florida, where she married Dave Stuart, and added two step-grandchildren, Brooke and David to the family.

She and Bob lived happily for many years in that home on Whip-o-Will Lane, and she decided to stay there after Bob passed in 2007. She continued to entertain and had a regular weekly game night with her girlfriends, who were also widows.

In 2016, she determined that her home had become too much to continue keeping up by herself. Her daughter and son-in-law invited her to move to Florida to live with them. Leaving her home and Milford, where she had spent her life was a difficult decision. Two of her sisters and their families lived nearby, and her son lived in the house next door. She would have to give up her car, as learning her way around in Florida would be difficult at 86 years old.

She quickly adjusted to the warmer climate, and enjoyed the year-round weather, but missed her life and friends in Milford. Deena moved to assisted living, where she was active in social events and lived comfortably until her death.

She passed away on Monday, August 4, 2025, with her family around her. 

In accordance with her wishes cremation has taken place. Relatives & friends are invited to attend her Graveside Committal Service on SATURDAY (August 23rd) at 12 NOON at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Cedar Street, Milford MA.

A celebration of life will be held on SATURDAY (August 23rd) at the Milford Portuguese Club, 119 Prospect Heights, Milford, Massachusetts from 1:00PM  to  4:00PM   !!!!!!

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