Family and Friends Gather to Honor Veteran Public Servant with Neponset Street Bridge Naming
More than 50 friends of the late John A. (Alec) Abdallah gathered with his family Friday to dedicate the Neponset Street bridge over Route I-95 to the colorful selectman who died in 1968 while taking part in the town’s Veterans’ Day ceremonies. The unexpected passing of Abdallah at age 58 brought a premature end to nearly 40 years of continuous service he gave the town. During the dedication ceremonies, Sen. John M. Quinlan, R-Norwood, observed in a short talk to the assembled crowd, “I think that if any of us elected politicians could choose a way to pass on, it would be while we’re up to our elbows in politics in a parade.” Quinlan added, “Alec loved this town. He spent a lifetime loving, daring, and doing, helping to build Norwood.”
In his multiple decades of civic involvement, Selectman Abdallah worked with at least 36 municipal boards and study panels. At the time of his death, he remained deeply active across town operations, holding seats as a member of the Norwood Airport Commission, the school housing needs committee, the Norwood Centennial Committee, the committee on industrial development, and the regional Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). In addition to his specialized executive responsibilities, he had also directly represented South Norwood as an elected town meeting member since 1948.
A number of town officials who worked alongside Abdallah spoke at the scene, offering public statements to recall his unyielding dedication and his willingness to give his all for the town. Following the eulogistic remarks, the selectman’s widow and his two daughters, Olga and Helen, stepped forward to formally remove the hunting cloth draped over the highway sign that now officially names the bridge structure in his honor.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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