Submitted by the family
MANCHESTER, MASS. — Henry Anthony Taron, 92, of Manchester passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on April 12, 2024. Son of the late Waclaw and Michalena Tataronis, Henry (Hank) was born in Salem, Mass., and raised in Salem and Danvers, Mass. He graduated from Holten High School in Danvers in 1950 and later married his high school sweetheart, Nancy O’Neill.
Henry attended Colby College through an Air Force ROTC scholarship. He majored in business and graduated in 1955. His Air Force service included posts in Pensacola, Fla.; Harlingen, Texas; Waco, Texas; and Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod. Following his military service, he and his growing family settled in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., and he embarked on his business career with the Travelers Insurance Company, working first in Boston and later in Wakefield, Mass., and Danvers.
Henry and Nancy shared a love of antiques and ran Tradewinds Antiques, a shop in Essex, Mass. As the business evolved, Tradewinds became an exclusive purveyor of fine antique canes and walking sticks. The success of this specialization changed their business into the first auction house entirely dedicated to this collectible. Henry was considered a world-renowned expert on this subject and handled the sale of important pieces from famous makers like Tiffany and Fabergé, pieces owned by US presidents, and many decorative and historical pieces that now reside in museums.
A lifelong sportsman, Henry played football and baseball at Holten High School and baseball at Colby College. He later coached youth baseball in Manchester. As a diehard Red Sox fan, his passion for the game led his friends to call him the “Mayor of Section 32” at Fenway Park, where he held season tickets for many years. He also had a life-long love of tennis and fishing.
Henry also enjoyed travel and spent many weekends with his family visiting Cape Cod, the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the coast of Maine. Later in life, he and Nancy developed a fondness for international travel, particularly to England. A naturally gregarious man, Henry will be fondly remembered by his many friends, colleagues and associates around the world.
Henry was preceded in death by Nancy, his wife of 43 years. He is survived by his son Douglas Taron and his husband Leon Halloran of Elgin, Ill., his daughter Kathleen Taron Kinney and her husband David of Marblehead, Mass., his son Christopher Taron and his wife Barbara of Essex, his grandson David Kinney, his granddaughters Abigail and Isabelle Taron and his sister-in-law Sheila McCarthy of Danvers.
His funeral mass will be celebrated at 9 am on Friday, May 17, at Visitation Parish – Sacred Heart Church 62 School Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass. Interment will be held privately by the family. A collation will be announced at the end of Mass. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to the “Family Fund” of CareDimensions (giving@caredimensions.org). For additional information, directions or condolences, www.campbellfuneral.com.
