New Hampshire
Gerald L Harrington Obituary – Pelham, NH, NH
Gerald L. “Gary” Harrington
OBITUARY
Retired Businessman, U.S. Navy Veteran, and Lifelong Adventurer
Pelham, NH
Gerald Lawrence “Gary” Harrington, age 83, passed away peacefully from pneumonia on Monday, May 19, 2025, at his beloved home in Pelham, New Hampshire. In his final days, he was surrounded by the love of his family in the very home where so many unforgettable gatherings and dinners had taken place over the years.
Born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Gary was the youngest of four siblings and a proud graduate of Lynn English High School in Lynn, Massachusetts, Class of 1958. He met the love of his life, May (Dawson) Harrington, at the Harp and Bard Pub in Danvers, MA. They were married six months later, beginning a partnership that would span 56 years and countless adventures. Together, they raised two sons, Gary and Sean.
Gary lived an extraordinary life marked by service, success, and deep personal connection. He served honorably in the United States Navy as a proud diesel submariner during the beginning stages of the Vietnam War. Aboard the “Blue Gil”, he was onboard the first US submarine to navigate up the Saigon River in Vietnam. He earned his “dolphins” in 1959 and served aboard three submarines during a time when diesel power ruled the seas. By the age of 18, he had already circled the globe multiple times underwater, traveling from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor, Vladivostok, Okinawa, and beyond. As a sonar operator, his role was to identify the unique sound signatures of allied and enemy vessels—work he performed with focus and distinction.
After his Navy service, Gary launched a successful career in the furniture industry. He was a consummate professional—an expert in merchandising, design, sales training, and customer relations. He built and led his own manufacturers’ representative business and served as President of the New England Home Furnishing Association. His clients included some of the most successful furniture stores across New England. In his field, he was known as a masterclass in sales and relationship-building.
To those who knew him, Gary was more than a businessman or veteran—he was a man of immense wisdom and unwavering character. He led with integrity, inspired others through action, and remained deeply intentional in his conversations. Whether discussing career choices, politics, faith, or life’s passions, his words were always thoughtful, honest, and grounded in high ideals.
To his family, Gary was simply “Pops”—the patriarch and the heart of their lives. He created unforgettable adventures: 30-mile canoe trips through the wilderness, ocean voyages through eight-foot swells, and countless camping and boating trips that brought everyone closer to nature and to each other. He wore his role as leader with humility and joy, so often putting others in life enriching situations.
Gary was a proud veteran and a longtime member of both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. He volunteered for many years as a tour guide aboard the decommissioned submarines in Fall River, Massachusetts. With unmatched knowledge and passion, he explained every valve, hatch, and pipe—skills that all submariners were required to master in the unforgiving conditions of underwater deployment.
He was a dedicated father and fan, especially during his sons’ high school and college wrestling careers. With his wife May and many other family members, he traveled across the country to support his boys, forging friendships with wrestlers and families everywhere. His voice was always the loudest in the gym, cheering not only for his sons but for the many athletes who had come to admire and respect him. For his grandchildren, this trend continued in force. Always a constant at every sporting and celebration event that his body would allow for those children. Again, one of the loudest in the stands, as he would bang his cane and yell with everything he had.
Gary’s adventurous and generous spirit never faded. He loved to be surrounded by friends and family in extraordinary settings, talking about life’s deeper meanings. For nearly 20 years, his home was the site of legendary Tuesday night dinners, open to all. St. Patrick’s Day and New Year’s Eve were always celebrated in grand fashion—reflecting his love for tradition, joy, and community.
A devoted member of the New England Bible Church in Andover, Massachusetts, Gary lived a life rooted in Christian values. In 2015, he traveled to Guatemala on a church mission to help build a new place of worship for a local community—a journey that reflected both his faith and his giving heart.
Gary will be remembered by so many for his warmth, insight, and the rare ability to listen deeply and counsel wisely. Friends and family turned to him for advice they could trust. For those without fathers, Gary often filled that role with grace and compassion, earning lifelong bonds with many of his sons’ friends that endured over four decades.
A lover of nature and animals, Gary felt most at home in the outdoors—on a boat, by a river, or in the woods. His passion for exploration shaped the lives of those around him and left a legacy of curiosity, courage, and care.
Gary is survived by his loving wife, May Harrington, and his two sons: Gary and Jacqueline Harrington of Pelham, NH, and Sean and Jacqueline Harrington of Dracut, MA. He will be dearly missed by his five grandchildren: Michael, Madeline, Cassidy, Sophia, and Isabella.
He was a remarkable man who lived a remarkable life—and his spirit will live on in the many lives he touched.
Friends may call on Wednesday, May 28,2025, at the PELHAM FUNERAL HOME, 11 NASHUA RD. in PELHAM from 4 to 7 P.M. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his Funeral Service to be held on Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 10:00 A.M. at the NEW ENGLAND BIBLE CHURCH, 60 Chandler Rd., Andover, MA. Burial to follow at the Gibson Cemetery in Pelham, NH. E-condolences/directions at www.pelhamfuneralhome.com. Those wishing may make contributions in his memory to can make checks payable to NE Bible Church, 60 Chandler Road, Andover, MA. These donations will go exclusively to help fund the missionary work in Guatemala. NE Bible Church is sending a dental team there in October to provide free dental care. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (603) 635-3333.
New Hampshire
Missing motorcyclist found dead after crash in Shelburne, NH
A New Hampshire motorcyclist who had been missing since the Fourth of July was found dead in Shelburne late Thursday night.
State police say they received a request from the Berlin Police Department just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday for help locating 41-year-old Wesley Grondin — the Berlin man was last seen riding his motorcycle on Saturday, July 4, and had been reported missing.
Troopers received a call a couple of hours later, around 10:10 p.m. Thursday, from a concerned resident who had been out looking for Grondin along Route 2 in Shelburne. The person told police they had found Grondin dead, along with his Harley Davidson.
According to state police, a preliminary investigation determined that Grondin was riding his Harley on Route 2 westbound in Shelburne when, for reasons that remain under investigation, he crossed over into the opposing lane, struck a post, and came to a final rest in the wood line.
The crash is believed to have occurred just before midnight on July 4. At this time, police say there’s no indication that another vehicle or person was involved.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation, however. Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact Trooper Hunter Newsham at Hunter.P.Newsham@dos.nh.gov.
New Hampshire
Nashua, NH, woman jailed for falsifying marriage to claim late man’s estate
KEENE, N.H. — A Nashua woman who had a town clerk falsely certify a marriage that never happened so she could claim her late partner’s property has been sentenced to seven days in jail, placed on probation and ordered to repay thousands to his estate.
Attorney General John Formella said Wendy Leedberg‑Snow, 60, turned to Winchester Town Clerk Jim Tetreault after the death of her longtime partner, Eric Leedberg — who was born in Lowell — using the falsified license to pose as his spouse and lay claim to property from his estate, an effort prosecutors describe as an attempt to rewrite the couple’s history for financial gain.
“This case involved a deliberate effort to manipulate official government records and exploit the death of a loved one for personal financial gain,” Formella said in a press release announcing the sentencing. “Our vital records system depends on honesty and integrity, and those who seek to corrupt that system will be held accountable. I want to thank the investigators and prosecutors whose work ensured justice for the victim’s family.”
According to Leedberg’s obituary, he was 53 when he died on Oct. 12, 2023, following a two‑year battle with cancer.
In the obituary, Leedberg-Snow is described as his “significant other.”
Prosecutors said Leedberg‑Snow moved quickly after his death, relying on Tetreault’s signature to fabricate a marriage that never occurred and position herself as Leedberg’s surviving spouse.
Tetreault, who was a New Hampshire justice of the peace at the time, falsely signed the marriage license claiming he had officiated the couple’s wedding. He later admitted he never performed any ceremony for Leedberg‑Snow and Leedberg and had no personal knowledge of them ever being married.
Leedberg‑Snow used the fraudulent certificate to obtain property from Leedberg’s estate, including a pickup truck and trailer, and later attempted to influence a witness connected to the scheme.
Leedberg‑Snow pleaded guilty in Cheshire County Superior Court in Keene to felony counts of solicitation to commit vital records fraud, title fraud, theft by misapplication of property and witness tampering.
In addition to her seven‑day jail term, she must serve two years of probation, pay $4,600 in restitution, return the truck and trailer to Leedberg’s estate and comply with a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑ to seven‑year prison sentence, which means the sentence only takes effect if she violates the conditions of her probation.
Tetreault, who continues to serve as Winchester’s town clerk and “fully cooperated with the State’s investigation,” according to prosecutors, pleaded guilty in April to notarial misconduct, a Class A misdemeanor. As part of a negotiated plea, prosecutors dropped a felony charge of vital records fraud. He was sentenced to 90 days in the house of corrections, all suspended for two years on good behavior, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine plus a $240 penalty assessment.
He resigned his commissions as a justice of the peace and bail commissioner and agreed not to seek recommissioning as a justice of the peace or notary public during the two‑year suspension period.
Tetreault could not be reached for comment at his office number.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
New Hampshire
Rescue Crews Help Injured Woman Off Mt. Washington
SARGENT’S PURCHASE – On Saturday, personnel from multiple rescue crews teamed up to help an injured woman get off of Mt. Washington to seek medical treatment.
At approximately 7:45 AM, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Conservation Officers were notified that a staff member at the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) Lakes of the Clouds Hut had taken a serious fall at the hut and was left unable to walk.
Fish and Game subsequently mobilized search and rescue personnel to come and help evacuate the young woman from her remote location.
By 10:00 AM, members of the Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue Team (AVSAR), Pemigewassett Valley Search and Rescue Team (Pemi), AMC and Fish and Game had gathered at the Base Station of the Cog Rail. The Cog Railway generously donated room on their trains, and rescuers and equipment were given rides up Mt. Washington to the West Side Trail, which allowed for a shorter and less strenuous 1.6 mile hike than other routes.
By 11:20 AM rescuers were at the hut with the patient. The patient was subsequently packaged in a litter and prepared for an overland carryout back to the Cog tracks.
Rescue personnel made steady progress, and by 2:15 PM had made it back across West Side Trail and to the train tracks. A Cog Railway train picked up the whole rescue party and brought everyone back down the mountain. Once roadside, the patient was evaluated by personnel from Twin Mountain Fire and Rescue.
She was ultimately driven from the scene by a friend and went to Memorial Hospital in North Conway for further evaluation
and treatment of multiple injuries related to her fall. The patient was identified as Cali Turner, 26, of Willimantic, Maine.
Fish and Game would like to thank all of the people and organizations involved in this rescue effort. Through the help of everyone, the rescue was a great success and got done in a timely manner.
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