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Gerald L Harrington Obituary – Pelham, NH, NH

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Gerald L Harrington Obituary – Pelham, NH, NH



Gerald L. “Gary” Harrington


OBITUARY

Retired Businessman, U.S. Navy Veteran, and Lifelong Adventurer

Pelham, NH

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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.

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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.

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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.

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New Hampshire

N.H. lawmakers to vote on increasing tolls, civil rights, and k-12 education – The Boston Globe

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N.H. lawmakers to vote on increasing tolls, civil rights, and k-12 education – The Boston Globe


One proposal (Senate Bill 627) would generate more than $53 million per year in estimated revenue for turnpike projects by essentially doubling what certain cars pay on the state’s toll roads.

The cash fare for Hampton’s main toll booth on Interstate 95, for example, would jump from $2 to $4 for cars and pickup trucks. The toll wouldn’t increase at all for motorists who use New Hampshire’s E-ZPass transponders.

“Surrounding states already have the same in-state discount structure in place,” Democratic Representative Martin Jack of Nashua wrote on behalf of a House committee that unanimously recommended the bill.

A potential hitch: Governor Kelly Ayotte. She’s expressed opposition to the whole toll-hiking idea, and proven she’s not afraid to use her veto pen.

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Modifying civil rights standard

Another proposal (Senate Bill 464) would add a few words to the state’s Civil Rights Act. Instead of addressing conduct that is merely “motivated by” a legally protected characteristic, the proposed revision would address conduct that is “substantially motivated by hostility towards the victim’s” protected characteristic (such as their race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, or disability).

The prime sponsor, Republican Senator Daryl Abbas, an attorney, testified the change was small and aligned with the law’s intent. But the attorney who oversees the Civil Rights Unit at the New Hampshire Department of Justice, Sean Locke, testified in opposition, saying the proposal could reduce protections, especially since the meaning of “substantially” is somewhat vague.

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The House is also weighing a proposed amendment that would add a few more words than Abbas’s version, potentially narrowing the Civil Rights Act’s applicability a bit further.

Open enrollment for K-12 schools

A third proposal up for a vote on Thursday (Senate Bill 101) would make every K-12 public school in New Hampshire an “open enrollment” school. That way, students could freely choose to transfer to a district other than the one where they live.

The proposed policy is controversial, partly because of how schools are funded. Districts rely mostly on local property taxes to cover their costs, as the state government chips in relatively little, and property tax rates vary widely from one community to the next. That generates concern about who will foot the bill when a student transfers.

In light of those concerns, Republicans are offering a compromise amendment to SB 101 that would require the state to provide more money per pupil that a district receives via open enrollment, as the New Hampshire Bulletin reported. Democrats are offering their own amendment to establish a study commission on this topic, rather than adopt the proposed policy now.

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Lawmakers have until May 14 to take action on the bills that came from the other chamber, though they have until June 4 to iron out any discrepancies.

Amanda Gokee of the Globe staff contributed to this report.


This story appears in Globe NH | Morning Report, a free email newsletter focused on New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles elsewhere. Sign up here.


Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.





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New Hampshire

Boston MedFlight expands into NH

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Boston MedFlight expands into NH


Boston MedFlight often touches down at the scene of some of the worst tragedies in New England – where minutes can mean life or death for a victim. The critical care transport operation is now expanding with a new base in New Hampshire.

The organization is hosting an open house at the new Manchester location on Thursday.

Boston MedFlight flies a critical care transport paramedic and nurse on every flight. Jaik Hanley-McCarthy says their helicopters and ground vehicles are equipped to handle just about any emergency medical procedure.

“Anything that can be done in the ICU,” explained Hanley-McCarthy. “We have a mobile lab so we can draw blood and run labs in real time.”

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Boston MedFlight now has five bases across the region.

“Having a base in Manchester just expands this Boston-level care even further north to the more remote areas of the state,” said Hanley-McCarthy.

Boston MedFlight operates as a network of bases and some of the locations are staffed 24 hours.

Chief Executive Officer Maura Hughes says the nonprofit operation survives on public and private donations.

“We provide about $7 million in free care every year to patients,” said Hughes. “Not every hospital can be everything to every patient. We’re really the glue that keeps the health care system together.”

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Heather Young says her daughter, Teighan, is still alive because she was flown for a critical assessment and procedure after falling off a truck and hitting her head.

“She should not be driving and walking and talking and all the things she’s doing as quickly as she is,” said Young.

Teighan just turned 18 and plans to go to college to study the medical field.

“I want to be a nurse and help other people,” she said.

It’s stories like this that keep the men and women who work Boston MedFlight focused on their mission.

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“I think we just go call by call and try to do the best we can,” said Hanley-McCarthy. “I think when we stop and truly think about it, I think that weight is pretty heavy.”

Boston MedFlight also has a yearly reunion where patients and the team get together here in Bedford to meet and check in on their progress. It really shows you how connected they are to the people they help.



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New Hampshire

Hiker who set out in warm spring weather found dead after snowstorm in New Hampshire mountains

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Hiker who set out in warm spring weather found dead after snowstorm in New Hampshire mountains


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A Massachusetts hiker who set out in warm spring weather was found dead deep in New Hampshire’s White Mountains after a snowstorm dumped several inches of snow in the area, authorities said.

Kent Wood, 61, of West Roxbury, was discovered Tuesday evening on a remote section of the Kinsman Pond Trail in Franconia Notch, about 5.5 miles from his vehicle, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game.

Wood had driven to Franconia Notch on April 17 for a weekend camping and hiking trip, and set out on a hike the next morning in warm, clear weather, officials said. Family and friends last heard from him Saturday afternoon.

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When he failed to return or make contact for two days, officials said relatives reported him missing Tuesday morning, prompting a large-scale search.

HIKER IDENTIFIED, POPULAR TRAIL CLOSED AFTER DEADLY FALL A UTAH’S ZION NATIONAL PARK

An aerial view of Franconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire, where a hiker was found dead on Tuesday. (Joseph Sohm/Universal Images Group, File)

Rescuers quickly learned Wood had packed for mild conditions, not the three to five inches of snow that fell in the area between Sunday and Monday.

Fog hovers over a narrow road through Franconia Notch in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire on Dec. 27, 2021. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis)

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Search teams from Fish and Game, PEMI Valley Search and Rescue, and the Army National Guard launched a coordinated effort, focusing on the Lonesome Lake and Kinsman Pond areas.

FAMILY’S SPRING BREAK HIKE TURNS INTO LIFE-OR-DEATH RESCUE AFTER PARENT FALLS 70 FEET OFF UTAH CLIFF

Conservation officers located Wood’s body around 7:41 p.m. Tuesday. Crews carried him out overnight, reaching the trailhead shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Franconia Notch and the Appalachian Trail are seen in New Hampshire on Sept. 21. (Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

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Since Friday, six hikers from Massachusetts have been rescued in the White Mountains, Fish and Game said.

Officials are reminding hikers that winter conditions still grip the mountains, with snow, freezing temperatures and rapidly changing weather.



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