Submitted By The Family

TOWNSEND, MASS. — John Delaney, a teacher who became a pioneering force in the American antique clock trade, died on March 12, 2026, at the age of 86, surrounded by his family. His business, which encompasses several generations of his family, is Delaney Antique Clocks in West Townsend, Mass.

Born on October 25, 1939, in Fitchburg, Mass., to Marcus and Ellen Delaney, John grew up in his hometown, graduating from Fitchburg High School before earning a degree in mathematics and physics from Fitchburg State University. Teaching came naturally to him, and after college, he moved West to embark on an educational career that would take him far beyond New England.

John taught in California and later in Newfoundland, Canada, before settling in France, where he met his beloved wife, Barbara. He later taught for the armed services and coached track, blending discipline with a signature sense of humor that students remembered long after leaving his classroom.

After marrying, the couple moved to England, where they began collecting antiques — an avocation that would shape their lives. Their sons, John and Sean, were born there. In 1968, the family settled in Townsend, where John taught mathematics and science at Leominster High School while operating a small antiques shop from their home.

What began as a sideline soon became a calling. By 1976, John left teaching to devote himself fully to the antiques trade, specializing in clocks. Over time, he became widely regarded as one of the earliest dedicated dealers of antique clocks in the United States, helping to shape a market that was then still emerging. The family business he built in Townsend grew into what is the largest retail antique clock shop in the country.

For John, the pursuit of clocks was inseparable from family life. Buying trips doubled as adventures, and the business became a shared enterprise, now carried on by his two sons, John Jr and Sean, and his grandson, Declan Delaney. Away from the shop, he sought the outdoors — fishing, hiking, canoeing were among his passions. He was an avid reader, a devoted grandfather and a man who never lost his taste for a well-timed practical joke.

In later years, John remained active in the Townsend Lions Club and divided his time between Massachusetts and Bonita Springs, Fla., where evenings often ended with ice cream outings and days were spent fishing with his grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Barbara; his sons, John of West Townsend and Sean of Groton, Mass.; his sister, Lynn Ann Morin of Hubbardston, Mass.; and five grandchildren, Bailey, Kelty, Declan, Lily and Griffin.