Colette Mahoney (Lazar)

October 23, 1942– April 18, 2025

Colette Mahoney, beloved wife, mother, grandmother (Mimi), and proud American, passed away peacefully on April 18, 2025. Born in France, Colette's life was a testament to resilience, love, and the pursuit of the American Dream.

It was in Paris that she met the love of her life, Jack (John) Mahoney. Their whirlwind romance led to marriage on the first day of spring, March 21, 1964—a fitting season for a love that would bloom for decades. Together they built a life rooted in shared values, mutual respect, and deep devotion.

In the summer of 1975, Colette proudly became a U.S. citizen—an achievement she regarded as her greatest personal accomplishment. She often said, “Nothing is more important than being an American citizen,” and she lived each day with a reverence for the freedoms and ideals that citizenship embodied.

Colette and Jack made their home in Concord, Massachusetts, where they raised their two sons, John and Christopher. There, she instilled in her family the morals, grit, and gratitude that would shape their futures. Her husband lovingly recalled her “uncanny ability to slightly mispronounce words and contort the English language,” turning everyday moments into cherished family memories.

Because she was born in France during World War II, Colette would often share stories of how difficult life was in the early years after the War. With little opportunity for education, she wouldn’t let that stop her. Colette’s determination and work ethic led her from restocking vending machines in 1965 to finding long term success as a real estate broker in the Concord area. She reminded her sons often that the American Dream wasn't about material things, but about opportunity and the promise of upward mobility.

Later in life, Colette and Jack retired to Falmouth on Cape Cod—a place she described as “close to the ocean and close to God.” There, they enjoyed the peace and beauty of coastal life, surrounded by the love they had built together over decades.

For some reason, Colette became even more active in retirement! She enjoyed all the activities at the Falmouth Senior Center and particularly loved her “swimming friends” who appreciated her for her incredible energy, warmth, and sense of humor. She continued to travel and even had been planning her Europe and Greece “Bucket List” Cruise when she was diagnosed with cancer in March. The cancer attacked with ferocity until she finally allowed herself to pass on with her loved ones at her side on the evening of Good Friday, 2025. Even now, she would likely argue that she didn’t die of cancer; she was already 82 and chose to die of old age before the cancer could get nasty with her.” We will all miss her laid back attitude, her love of life, and her unique manner in which she would express her opinions.

Colette leaves behind her husband, Jack Mahoney, her two sons, her grandchildren Emerson, Mollie, and Catie, her sister Solange Lazar and her nephew, Didier, and dozens of extended family around the United States and in France. She left us a legacy of love, wisdom, humor, and unwavering spirit.

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