Timothy J. "Tim" Mackey

Timothy J. Mackey—or Tim to anyone who had the pleasure of hearing his signature laugh—burst into Beverly, MA, on October 29, 1955, and the world immediately became 60% funnier. His sudden and tragic departure on November 26, 2025, in Danvers, MA, was unexpected but we'll honor him by attempting to see the absurdity and joy and simple pleasures in everything, just as he did. Tim has moved on to  join his loving parents, Edith and Elias Mackey, and his niece Rachael, who predeceased him.

A proud Danvers High School graduate (Class of '73), Tim spent over two decades as the beloved owner of Lynn Meatland. He wasn’t just a butcher; he was a friend to all. Meatland was less a shop and more a highly entertaining, protein-focused "third place" where Tim served up custom cuts of meat, steaming coffee, sandwiches, and a steady stream of conversation and jokes. Upon finally hanging up his apron, he moved on to Market Basket to train new butchers, where he "retired" to a coveted 40-hour work week with paid vacation, health insurance:  the life a small business owner does not get—and he never stopped appreciating it. He really, really, retired in 2020, and replaced work with relaxing at the boat yard, doing one “errand” a day, tending to his animals and garden, and calling it a “busy and productive day”.

Tim was an eBay reselling virtuoso whose keen eye could spot a diamond in the dollar-bin rough, turning what you called "junk" into someone else's "treasure’s." His home was a sanctuary for animals—particularly a parade of friendly & cherished English Bulldogs. But his love was truly eclectic: his house hosted Fitzy the perpetually cranky parrot, cats that simply refused to leave, tortoises, hedgehogs, lizards, and even a brief but legendary stint with chickens.

His garage workshop was a cross between a junkyard and a genius's lab, where he welded magnificent, slightly alarming metal creatures that somehow achieved a startling level of whimsy. And his garden? Legendary. His tomatoes and zucchinis were so absurdly large they were suspected of being performance-enhanced.

Sunday mornings were non-negotiable and sacrosanct: The weekly breakfast summit with his daughter, son-in-law, and brother Vin. Over mountains of bacon and eggs, they solved global crises, provided excellent people-watching for the staff, and then embarked on "adventures,” to Costco or BJs which were his daughter's way to get him to get his steps in!

His love for classic TV like The Three Stooges was a mere training ground for his true passion: making others laugh. Tim was the living embodiment of funny, generous, and handy—a true Jack of all Trades and Master of Absolutely Everything He Put His Mind To. Tim’s generosity knew no bounds. If he had ten cents, he’d give you a dollar's worth of advice and a solid five cents. He was always there if you needed him and willing to step up. 

Tim's legacy lives on through his daughter, the joy of his life, Lytania Mackey Knowles, and his son-in-law, Jason Knowles. His brothers—Vincent, Jeffrey, Kenneth, and Daniel Mackey—will deeply miss the weekly calls and text messages, and the simple fact that if something electronic or mechanical was broken, he could fix it.His nieces and nephews—Andrew, Holly, Joy, Crystal, Nicole, Josh, Brendan, and Sean—will forever remember their funny and kind Uncle Tim.  He was the former husband of the late Christine  (Saunders)  Mackey.

Visitation on Saturday from 11am-1pm. In lieu of flowers please see the memorial contribution info below

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Timothy J. "Tim" Mackey, please visit our Tree Store.