Harold Hallstein
Harold A. Hallstein III died on October 7 at age 70 of heart failure after a period of declining health. An owner’s representative in construction, he had a long career managing projects in a variety of venues throughout New England.
Hallstein was born on May 6, 1950 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the son of Harold Hallstein Jr., a sales manager with TRW, Inc., and Sue Palmer Hallstein, homemaker and golf champion. He was the third of four siblings (Sue of Willoughby, Ohio; Ann Lee of Easthampton, Mass.; and Robert, deceased. Known as Joe to his friends, Hallstein attended both public school and Hawken School in Gates Mills, Ohio. He went to Carnegie Mellon University and graduated in 1972 with a BFA in sculpture. He married artist and classmate Susan Richards in 1973.
Hallstein’s talents led him to create his own construction business after moving to Brookline, Mass. in 1974. Prior to founding the Hallstein Company Inc., Joe worked for the town of Brookline and later for Parencorp Inc. a real estate development firm. He and Susan moved to Lincoln in 1993 after renovating two homes in Brookline.
In Lincoln, he was involved with charitable projects at Codman Community Farms and served on their board of directors. He was also on the board of the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center and acted as a construction advisor for the First Parish Church in Lincoln. One of his favorite projects was the award-winning Forest Refuge in Barre, Mass., where he met and became friends with many respected teachers in Buddhism.
Hallstein was an avid fly fisherman, enjoying yearly trips to the Miramichi river in Canada to fish for Atlantic salmon. He built his family home in Lincoln and continued to hold conference calls with clients until a few days before his death.
Hallstein is survived by his wife, Susan; two children, Harold A. Hallstein IV of Boulder, Colo., and Jocelyn Adams; and his son-in-law Trevor Wissink-Adams of Jamaica Plain. A memorial service and celebration is being planned for spring of 2021. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made in his memory to the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust at www.lincolnconservation.org. Proceeds will benefit the Flint’s Farm field heritage, which abuts his resting place in the Lincoln Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.
I met Joe when he was working as the Owner’s Rep for the construction of the Forest Refuge in Barre, MA. He straightened us out, as he might say.
He was a straight-shooting, direct kind of man with a dry sense of humor. I learned a lot from him, including how to bluff contractors as needed, i.e. when they were trying to bluff you. And how to be in a meeting with lots of swearing construction managers. He saved us a lot of money and time.
But more than that, he helped create a beautiful place for meditation practice. He did the same for Cambridge Insight Meditation Society, and also helped Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.
May you be safe, Joe. May it go well for you, wherever you are now.
Thank you for the beauty you brought into the world.
Thanks so much. He enjoyed working with you. He commented often on the group. He enjoyed every minute.
Joe was one of the first – and certainly the most memorable – friends we made when we moved here many years ago. Board meetings were never to be missed when serving with Joe – the laughter he provoked was both irresistible & irreverent. The projects we took on at CCF were made all the more easy with Joe’s spirit, humor and talent. What an amazing man. Many hugs to his beautiful family. Indeed, such a loss for us all.
What a loss, for his family and for our community.
His contributions will live on.
Cyber hugs to Sue and the kids.
Sara