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Shad Araby Joseph "Shad" Araby (May 13, 1924 – August 17, 2006) was an American veteran, custodian, and supporter of Dedham youth, particularly Dedham High School athletics. Personal lifeAraby was born in Dedham, Massachusetts.[1] As a student at Dedham High School, Araby earned the nickname "Shad" from humming the Louis Armstrong song Shadrack.[1][2] He was the water boy for the football team and served on the Boosters Club.[1] After graduating from Dedham High School in 1942, Araby joined the United States Navy and served in World War II.[1][2] He had a son, Frank, two grandchildren, a brother, James, and two sisters, Edith and Frances.[1] He was a member of the Italian American Citizens Club of Dedham.[1][2] He enjoyed sports, reading, and jazz music.[1] CareerAfter being discharged from the Navy, Araby took a position as an equipment manager for the Boston Red Sox.[1][2] He was later known for referring to all the children of Dedham as "good kid," a practice he picked up from Ted Williams.[2] He then took a janitorial position at Dedham High School in 1959.[1][3][4][2] He would remain at his alma mater for 31 years, retiring in 1990.[1] He then was elected as a trustee of the Dedham Public Library.[3][2] Supporter of Dedham youthAraby was a passionate supporter of Dedham High School sports and did not miss a football or basketball game in many decades.[3][1] While in the Navy, he went AWOL in order to watch the Dedham-Norwood rivalry football game.[1][2] For a lifetime of support, he was a member of the first class of inductees to the Dedham High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.[5][2] Araby supported anything to do with Dedham youth, including the St. Mary's LifeTeen program.[4] Araby was the first member of the Dedham High School Alumni Association's Shiretown Club.[6] A party for his 75th birthday was a fundraiser to build a skate park behind the Dedham Pool.[7][2] After retiring, Araby volunteered at the Dedham Middle School, handing out sticks of Juicy Fruit gum and helping students who were having a tough day. He had a special focus on students from broken homes, trying to set a good example for them.[1] When the Middle School hosted a "grandfather's coffee," where students interviewed their grandfathers and then invited them into the school for a special event, Araby would stand in for students' whose grandfathers were not able to attend.[8] Legacy He died on August 17, 2006.[4][1] His funeral was held at St. Mary's Church on August 19, and he is buried at Brookdale Cemetery, Veterans Hill.[1] The access road to the Dedham High School gym is named "Shad and Wendy's Way" for Araby and Wendell Clement. A tree in front of the High School was dedicated in his honor, and then rededicated on May 13, 2024, on what would have been Araby's 100th birthday.[3] The Dedham Middle School gym is dedicated in his honor. Outside of the gym is a display case featuring items from his life. The Shad Araby Award is given each year to a staff member of the Dedham Public Schools who shows a dedicated effort to support the students.[9] The Dedham High School Booster's Club awards the Shad Araby Memorial Athletic Scholarship to a graduating senior each year.[10] References
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