obits

Mark Joseph Hagenian, 68, a lifelong resident of Lincoln, passed away from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident on the Kancamagus Scenic Byway in Albany, N.H. on October 15.

Devoted son of Irene R. Hagenian of Lincoln and the late Joseph C. Hagenian, Mark was the adoring father of Nicholas, Stephen, and William Hagenian, all of Lincoln. He was the brother of Ann McManus and her husband Russ of Hancock, N.H., and the late Charles Hagenian. Mark is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and friends.

A 1970 graduate of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, Mark furthered his education at Western New England College. Mark began his career at Swanson Pontiac in Lincoln and later became a mechanic at the dealership. He spent many years as a manager at American Food Holding Corp., which owned and operated restaurants across Massachusetts, including almost 30 years at Jimmy’s On The Mall in Burlington. In recent years he worked as a dispatcher for Corporate Limousine in Woburn.

He loved spending time with his family and being outdoors enjoying nature. He enjoyed fishing, camping trips to Newfound Lake, N.H., and vacations in Wells, Maine and at The Balsams in Colebrook, N.H.. He was an excellent cook, and he enjoyed his hours in the vegetable and flower gardens.

Mark was a longtime member of Grace Chapel Church in Lexington where he enjoyed deepening and sharing faith with his fellow church members. At Grace Chapel, he was a member of the Shine Program, which taught religious education to individuals with learning disabilities.

Mark recently felt a renewed excitement for motorcycling. His motorcycle, a 2019 Harley Davidson Heritage Classic Softail, was his pride and joy; he put thousands of miles on it in the last half year. He loved taking day trips all over Cape Cod, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont. Lately, he often would pick a destination from his past and take a ride to revisit it. He would then send a picture to his mom, sister, sons, or friends, having them guess where he was from the photograph. The day of his accident, he was riding the Kancamagus, appreciating the peak fall colors.

Mark will be interred alongside his father and brother at Lincoln Cemetery on Friday, October 30 at 11 a.m., with his friend and minister from Grace Chapel, Reverend Cynthia Fantasia, officiating. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Mark’s name may be made to Grace Chapel, 3 Militia Drive, Lexington, MA 02421. Arrangements by the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home in Burlington. Click here for the online guestbook.

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.

Walter A. Bossert Jr., an 11-year resident of Lincoln, died peacefully at home on October 10.

Bossert was born in Manhattan on October 5, 1932 to Christina and Walter A. Bossert Sr. He graduated from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and has been a member of the John Jay Society for over 40 years. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1954-1957 where he was lieutenant commander and top secret security officer during the Korean War, most notably at Mt. Rushmore’s Strategic Air Command Base during the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956. 

After his service, Bossert attended the University of Virginia Law School and graduated in 1960. Walter joined the Wall Street law firm of Gould & Wilkie serving 34 years, 19 of them as senior partner. Gould & Wilkie, founded in 1892, was perhaps best known as the firm where Judge Learned Hand practiced before his appointment to the federal bench. During Bossert’s tenure, he was general counsel to several well-known corporations including Associated Dry Goods and their principal division, Lord & Taylor, Tiffany & Co., and Central Hudson Gas & Electric Co.

In 1980, Bossert, along with his partner Davison Grant and renowned lawyer Telford Taylor, chief prosecutor of the Nuremberg trials, successfully argued before the Supreme Court Central Hudson Gas & Electric vs. Public Service Commission (447 U.S. 557). This landmark case is still studied in law schools today in regard to First Amendment rights.  

Until the day he passed away at age 88, Bossert remained an active member of both the New York City and SCOTUS Bar Associations as well as “of counsel” to Thompson & Hine, Gould & Wilkie’s successor. He was an avid music lover and historian who was instrumental in establishing Lyrica Chamber Music with his wife, classical pianist Mariel Bossert. The award-winning series included collaborations with the Emerson, Lark and Muir String Quartets and presidential “musical playlets” authored by Bossert.

Bossert is survived by his wife, Mariel; son William; daughters Ellen and Laura; daughters in law Barbara Bossert and Suzanne Woolston Bossert; son in law Terry King, grandson Christopher; granddaughters Brooke and Kaitlin’ nieces Elizabeth Ahner, Rebecca Bossert, and Carey Ahner; grandnieces Olivia and Cordelia; cousins Alice and Joyce; and three beloved family dogs, Buddy, Maestro, and Mama Chia.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name may be sent to Lyrica Boston Inc. a 501(c)(3) non- profit musical, educational and outreach organization at https://www.lyricafest.org/make-a-donation or by check to Lyrica Boston Inc. 53 South Great Rd., Lincoln, MA  01773. Services will be private. Visitors may post on an online memory wall at walter-albert-bossert.forevermissed.com.

Dorothy Marion (Johansen) Marchant, 92, formerly of Waltham and Lincoln, died on August 29. Click here for full obituary.

Dorothy Patricia Jensen died peacefully in her home in Lincoln on August 6 at the age of 99. Click here for full obituary.

Edna J. (Barry) Hankey, 94, of Boca Raton, Fla. and formerly on Lincoln, passed away peacefully on July 25. Click here for full obituary.

After a long and great life of 95 years, Robbie passed away peacefully on Aug. 22, 2020 with his son Jonathan at his side. 

Born and raised in Newton, Robbie attended Newton South High School and graduated from Harvard University in 1946. He loved his time at Harvard and met his wife, Margaret Garfield Cunningham, at a gathering after a Crimson football win. 

World War II delayed graduation from Harvard. Robbie was stationed in Hawaii and then the Quadulan, part of the Marshall Islands. He was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant. 

After graduation from Harvard, Robbie joined his father in the family wholesale hardware business, C.A. Cunningham Co. First as a road salesman calling on lumberyards and then as the company president, he helped develop the company into one of New England’s prominent specialty distributors. 

Robbie and Margaret made their home in Lincoln and loved the rural town and all its conservation land. The area was great for their dogs and cats, and Robbie loved to walk the Prestons’ woods trails with the dogs. 

Robbie joined the Lincoln Minute Men and was sure to attend all their events. The annual highlight was the march from Lincoln to Concord for the April 19th celebration, and parade commemorating the battles of Lexington and Concord. 

In 1990, Robbie and Margaret welcomed Kathryn Dempsey Cunningham into the family when she married their only son Jonathan. Robbie loved her like she was his own daughter and was so happy when they had three children (Susan, Michelle and Amy). After Margaret died in 2002, his later years were spent attending various plays and sporting events of his grandchildren. 

One of Robbie’s favorite ways of investing was finding and buying real estate in locations before they were prominently developed. He and Margaret particularly enjoyed Phippsburg, Maine and Naples, Fla. They loved hosting family and friends and taking them to the Naples beach and pier. Jon, Kathy and their kids took many great trips to Naples. 

Robbie loved history and one of his favorite passions was the Arnold Expedition Historical Society, a group formed to preserve and protect the land that Benedict Arnold marched on from Maine to Quebec. In 1975, to celebrate the 200-year anniversary, he led 600 people on a reenactment of the march. It was quite an event and long remembered by many. 

He also enjoyed being charitable and donated to many charities helping the disadvantaged. Robbie believed in giving back and paying forward. He felt that the world was becoming faster, but that did not necessarily make it better. Robbie was a great communicator and while recognizing the importance of technology, he wished people would converse more and come together instead of being buried in technology. 

He leaves his son Jonathan and wife Kathryn of Lincoln; grandchildren Susan, Michelle and Amy; brother Tony Cunningham and his wife Aurora; and their children Lydia and Charlie. 

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a wake and church service with reception will not be held. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a public graveside service on Friday Sept. 4 at 1 p.m. at Lincoln Cemetery. Officers of the United States Army will present military honors. All attendees are required to wear masks and practice social distancing.  

Please omit flowers and gifts. In lieu of, please consider donating to the Pine Street Inn for homeless men and women, 444 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118.  

Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence in Robbie’s online guestbook, please visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.

Elizabeth (Ogilvie) Kimnach, 81, of Lincoln and formerly of Concord, passed away peacefully on August 20, 2020.

Elizabeth was the younger daughter of the late Gordon H. Ogilvie and Florence (Brier) Ogilvie of Concord and Wellesley. A dedicated mother and grandmother, she is survived by her loving family members: sister Marjorie Anne Ogilvie, daughter Deborah Speer Watson, son Robert Ogilvie Speer and his wife Nora, and grandchildren Emily Louise Watson, Jack Morgan Speer, Kendra Rose Watson, Cole Michael Speer and her first husband, Richard L. Speer. 

Betty graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School in 1957 and married Richard “Dick” Speer after meeting him at the University of Vermont. A versatile athlete and often a team captain, she was a member of the Concord Country Club and The Country Club of Brookline. Summers before college, she was a lifeguard at Walden Pond. She played team tennis for 35 years and skied all over the United States and Europe.

Santa G. (Messina) Cotoni, 99, a longtime Lincoln resident, died at home while surrounded by her loving family on August 14. She was the beloved wife for 61 years of the late Joseph D. Cotoni, Sr., who died in 2003.  

Cotoni was born on February 23, 1921, the daughter of the late Vincent and Josephine (DiDomenico) Messina. She grew up in Watertown and graduated from Watertown High School, then settled in Lincoln after marrying Joe. She devoted her life to raising her family and assisting in the operation of the family farm in Lincoln. She was a parishioner at St. Joseph Church, and in her later years, resided at the Ryan Estate in Lincoln.  

She leaves behind her children, Joseph Cotoni, Jr. and his late wife Sandi of Wayland, Arthur Cotoni and his wife Penny of Lincoln, and Dianne Mola and her husband Emilio of Shirley, as well as eight grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Several siblings also predeceased her. 

Family and friends will gather for visiting hours on Wednesday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Dee Funeral Home (27 Bedford St. Concord). Her graveside service will be held at 12:45 p.m. in Lincoln Cemetery on Lexington Road, Lincoln. All attendees are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Lincoln Firefighters Association, P.O. Box 19, Lincoln, MA 01773. Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.

Florence Freed, a longtime resident of Lincoln and then Brookhaven at Lexington, died on August 10. She was born in May 1933 in New York, N.Y., daughter of Irving Wallach, CPA, and Frances Wallach, a teacher. She and her brother Jonathan lived in Riverdale, N.Y., where Florence graduated from PS 81.

She next graduated from Barnard Preparatory School as valedictorian, and then from Barnard College, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Florence earned a master’s degree and a Certificate of Advanced Study from Harvard and worked as a school psychologist in Newton. Later she became professor of psychology at Middlesex Community College in Bedford. 

Florence married Charles Freed, a Holocaust survivor who did pioneering laser research at MIT’s Lincoln Lab. They lived in Lincoln and had two daughters, Lisa and Josie. Florence also wrote and published two books, The Beautiful Blue Bicycle and Transcendence. In later years she enjoyed living at Brookhaven at Lexington with many friends. She spent many hours playing classical music on the piano.

Florence leaves her daughters, Lisa and Josie, her son-in-law Ted, her granddaughters Sara and Rachel, her sister-in-law Janet, her niece Joanne, her grand-niece Lauren, and her grand-nephew Andy. Donations in her memory may be made to Brookhaven at Lexington for the Brookhaven Friends of Music. Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.

Heather M. (Ayers) Panetta, 44, lost her battle with cancer peacefully at home on July 28, 2020 with her husband, parents, and sister by her side. She approached her illness with faith and dignity, which inspired all who knew her. Heather was the loving wife for 16 years of Richard J. Panetta, Jr.

Heather was born on May 24, 1976 in Cincinnati as the beloved daughter of Troy and Sue (Peters) Ayers. She graduated from Milford Christian Academy in Milford, Ohio, before attending the University of Cincinnati.

Heather remained steadfastly dedicated to her job up until a couple days before her passing. Always passionate for helping others, she enjoyed her rewarding ten-year career at Bank of America. She previously oversaw numerous branches in Greater Boston as an operations manager, and more recently, was an assistant vice president in the mortgage department. It was truly her dream job.

Heather’s devotion and admiration for her animals will never be forgotten. She embodied an unyielding love for family, and especially treasured the close bond shared with her nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband and parents, she leaves behind one sister, Susan Ogle along with her children, Anne Gasior, her husband Tom, and their son Sutton, CJ Ogle and his wife Lindsay Taylor, and Kenny Ogle, a sister-in-law, Rachel Panetta and her husband Joe Potthoff along with their children, Giuliana and Jackson Potthoff, as well as many friends. She was also the sister of the late James Ayers.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, August 1 at 2 p.m. in the Lincoln Cemetery on Lexington Road. In accordance with current COVID guidelines, all attendees are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Heather’s memory may be made to the Jimmy Fund, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 or to the ASPCA, P.O. Box 96929, Washington, DC 20090. Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.