In Memoriam: Dr. John Francis Mahoney (1937–2025)
Founding Faculty Member of Franklin University Switzerland
It is with profound sorrow that Franklin University Switzerland announces the passing of Dr. John Francis Mahoney, one of the university’s founding faculty members and a beloved professor, mentor, and scholar.
Dr. Mahoney passed away peacefully on June 16, 2025, at the age of 87. He was among the original group of visionary educators who, in 1969, helped establish what would become Franklin University Switzerland. His academic leadership and passion for the humanities played a formative role in shaping the institution’s early liberal arts curriculum and its distinctive international character.
A proud graduate of Boston College and Harvard University, Dr. Mahoney brought with him a deep love of literature and learning. His decades-long teaching career, which included tenures at both Boston College and Franklin, was marked by a profound commitment to inspiring young minds. Generations of Franklin students remember him not only for his intellectual rigor, but also for his generosity, kindness, and enduring belief in the transformative power of education.
Beyond the classroom, Dr. Mahoney was known for his literary scholarship and editorial contributions, particularly to the study of Gerard Manley Hopkins. His academic work was widely respected, and his influence extended well beyond the institutions where he taught.
Franklin University Switzerland is forever grateful for the role Dr. Mahoney played in our founding, for his dedication to our students, and for the academic legacy he leaves behind. His spirit continues to resonate in our mission and community.
We extend our deepest condolences to the Mahoney family and all who had the privilege of knowing him.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, leadership, faculty, and staff, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the Mahoney family and all who had the privilege of knowing him.
May he rest in peace.
Read more about his remarkable life in the Boston Globe obituary.