Obituaries (January – February 2021)

Editor’s note: This is a compilation of obituaries (in order of the date of death) that were originally published at various times between mid-January and mid-February 2021. They were inadvertently deleted from the website due to a technical malfunction and later restored.

Pamela Gallup, 69

The flag was lowered to half staff on town buildings until February 10 to honor longtime Lincoln resident Pamela Gallup, who passed away on January 30 after a courageous battle with cancer. She leaves her son Tony.

Pamela, who graduated from Boston College and later Suffolk Law School, was very active in the Lincoln community. As a long-time member of the Housing Commission and Housing Trust, she was instrumental in shepherding the Oriole Landing project. She was also an advocate for group homes for the handicapped in Lincoln. For her work on affordable housing, she received the Bright Light Award, given each year at Town Meeting to a Lincoln citizen who made a significant contribution to the town.

“Pam was a passionate advocate for affordable housing and expanded housing diversity in Lincoln,” Town Administrator Tim Higgins said. “She employed her legal training and extensive knowledge of affordable housing programs for the benefit of people seeking to live in Lincoln, and there is no doubt that she helped open the doors for dozens of our current town residents.”

Michael McHugh, 87

McHugh, a former sergeant for the Lincoln Police Department, died on January 21. Click here for full obituary.

Sophie Poulos, 100

Poulos died on January 14 and is survived by her children Diane Poulos Harpell, Theodore Poulos, and Nicholas Poulos. Full obituary.

Gert Brieger, 89

Brieger, a scholar in the history of medicine and public health, died on January 13. Full obituary.

Frank Ferguson, 94

Ferguson, an angel investor and philanthropist, died on January 12. Full obituary.

Ralph Flannery, 97

Ralph Flannery, 97, a brick layer and racing enthusiast, died peacefully at home on January 12, 2021. Survivors include daughter Pamela Poulos and her husband Theodore of Lincoln. Full obituary and video of his burial.

John Hart Terrell, 86

John Hart Terrell, a physicist and student of Japanese painting, cello, and Buddhism, passed away on January 13. Full obituary.

Robert Lager, 63

Robert (Bob) Lager, one of the Lincoln Public Library’s custodians, passed away suddenly on January 10 in the library. The staff “always looked forward to seeing Bob — it meant our work day was over and we could share a joke or a story with him,” they said in a statement. “The most important part of the library staff is that we are a family. Bob was a member of our family, we are all in a state of shock. Bob was an incredibly hard worker who went above and beyond for his staff and family.” Click here to contribute to a fundraiser for Bob’s family in a fundraiser organized by friends of the Woodland School in Weston, where he also worked as a custodian. Full obituary.