obits

John Frederick Knutson died peacefully in Lincoln on December 26, 2025, at the age of 85. He was known for his kind and generous nature, his dynamic problem-solving abilities, and his thoughtful leadership skills in business and volunteer organizations. John was a patient and loving husband to Judy, a role model as a father and grandfather, a wise and caring brother, a loyal friend, and a humble contributor to his community.

John was born on August 31, 1940, in Framingham to Mary Barrett Knutson and Frederick William Knowlton Knutson. John was the middle sibling between two sisters: Katherine Knutson Meier and Carole Knutson Romp. The Knutson family grew up in a home full of music in Millbrook, N.Y., and John went to Millbrook School, where his father taught Latin and coached football. John was an outstanding student, excelling in math. He graduated from Yale University (’62), Stanford University (’64), and Harvard Business School (’68).

From 1964–66, John was a volunteer in the Peace Corps. After rigorous training, including an intensive Spanish conversation course, John was appointed professor of electrical engineering and tasked to set up the first computer at the University of La Paz in Bolivia. His time in the Peace Corps also included traveling with a doctor through the Bolivian countryside, testing communities for tuberculosis. Volunteering for the Peace Corps in Bolivia became a pivotal life experience for John.

In 1968, as John was finishing up at Harvard Business School, he met Judy Spicer. He moved to Detroit to begin his job with Chrysler Corp., asking Judy to join him. John and Judy were married on a snowy day in December 1968. Learning Spanish while in the Peace Corps and studying electrical engineering and business had directed him toward what would become a 33-year career at Chrysler Corporation. After John and Judy moved to Mexico City in 1969, their children, Christina and Carl, were born in the early 1970s.

John and Judy lived a total of 25 years in the Detroit area and 11 years in Mexico City. During that time, John’s position as deputy managing director of Chrysler de Mexico was especially rewarding for him. After John and the family returned for the second time to Detroit in 1983, he held several positions at Chrysler Corp. He particularly enjoyed his work as director of finance and international strategic plans, starting in 1985. At the time of the DaimlerChrysler merger in 1998, he was appointed vice president of product development finance.

After John’s retirement in 2001, he and Judy returned to Boston and had fun living in the city for 15 years. When John and Judy weren’t spending time with family or friends, John contributed to the well-being of nonprofits. He worked as a consultant for the Executive Service Corps and raised funds for the Latin American Scholarship Program of American Universities. As a board member of Wheelock College for 10 years, he participated in the successful merger of the school with Boston University.

John’s passion in life was singing. He sang with a beautiful tenor voice at Millbrook School, in the Yale Glee Club, the Duke’s Men of Yale and in the choirs of the Episcopal church in Mexico, Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and Trinity Church in Boston as well as the Saengerfest Men’s Chorus. His interest in singing led both John and Judy to travel and sing with the Yale Alumni Chorus in fifteen different countries.

John enjoyed playing tennis and was the president of the Weekapaug Tennis Club in Rhode Island. Long-distance biking kept him active and happy, particularly in his later years.

Since 2020, John and Judy have lived at The Commons in Lincoln. Prior to that point, John was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia with Parkinsonism. Judy has devoted her time caring for him, keeping him comfortable and active with physical therapy sessions, and thoroughly researching his disease. John’s family is very thankful for the wonderful care he received for the last two years in the Harbor Mind and Memory Care on the campus at The Commons.

John is survived by his wife of 57 years, Judith Spicer Knutson; his children (and spouses), Christina Knutson Honos (Edward Honos); Carl Frederick Knutson (Jennifer Couzens); and six grandchildren: Grace, Cate, and Luke Honos; Halle, Maren, and Finley Knutson. John is also survived by his sister, Carole (Dale Liebenthal), and niece and nephews and their families. He was predeceased by his sister, Katherine, and his parents Mary and Fred Knutson.

The family will host private memorial services to celebrate John’s life during the year with specific dates to follow. In lieu of flowers, the Knutson family would be truly grateful for donations made to The Massachusetts General Hospital Lewy Body Dementia Research Fund in tribute to John Knutson. Donations may be made online,  or checks can be mailed to: Massachusetts General Hospital Development Office, 125 Nashua St., Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114.

Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. Click here to share a memory or send condolences.

Anthony J. “Tony” Mrugala passed away peacefully on November 23, 2025 at the Aberjona Rehabilitation and Nursing Facility in Winchester.

He was born on March 15, 1934, the son of Antoni and Frances (Sagan) Mrugala. Tony grew up in North Cambridge and throughout his life was very proud of his Polish ancestry. He was predeceased by siblings Jeannette, Ted, Peter, Edward, and Frannie and is survived by two nephews, Ted and Rich Mrugala; Rich’s wife, Doris; a niece, Chris Harmon; and several great-nephews and -nieces.

After earning his Master’s Degree from Boston College, Tony was a guidance counselor for many years before retiring from the Waltham School system.

Like a Renaissance man, Tony pursued a number of passions. The arts — listening to classical music, playing the piano, and creating lovely calligraphy — brought him great joy. He traveled extensively, was an avid skier, and became a ski instructor at Mount Sunapee.

Horses were a central part of Tony’s life. Locals in the Concord and Lincoln area frequently saw him with his horse and carriage carrying people to special events such as wedding receptions in grand style. His was also a familiar face at the local hardware store where he worked part time for a number of years following his retirement.

Services for Tony will be private. The family requests no flowers, but if desired, a donation may be made to a favorite charity. Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. For Tony’s tribute page, click here.

Diane F. Nockles, 93, beloved mother, friend, teacher, and traveler, passed away peacefully on Nov. 26, 2025.

Born in October 1932 in Boston, Diane grew up with an innate desire to explore, to learn, and to share what she discovered with others. This calling naturally led her to her life’s work as an educator. For over 30 years, she taught and led with uncommon patience and enthusiasm, inspiring countless students not only to master their lessons but to believe in themselves.

A traveler at heart, Diane found joy in discovering new landscapes, cultures, and stories. Whether she was wandering through historic cities, driving through the country’s national parks or simply meeting new people on her journeys, she embraced the world with openness and gratitude. She was also a proud New England Patriots fan, cheering faithfully through every season, celebrating victories, and standing loyal through the tough games.

She is survived by her daughter who will carry forward her spirit of compassion, learning, and adventure. She is preceded in death by her parents.

To know Diane was to witness a life lived with purpose and heart. She will be profoundly missed and forever remembered. 

At her request, no formal services will be held. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a children’s charity of your choice. Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. To share a memory or to offer a condolence, click here.

John Robertson Watt, English-born son of a Scottish father and a Canadian mother, scholar, musician, humorist, artist, and beloved father of four and husband to Anne Sturgis, died peacefully on November 22, 2025 at home in Lincoln surrounded by family. He was 91.

Growing up in Rugby, England during the years of WWII, he attended the Rugby School and was then deployed to Malaya during the Malayan Emergency as a Lieutenant with the Gordon Highlanders before going to Oxford University to study history.

John earned his B.A. from Balliol College, his M.A. from Harvard University, and his Ph.D. from Columbia University, where he focused on Chinese and Japanese history. While singing in the University Choir at Harvard, he met Anne, whom he married in Cambridge in December 1960. Their union thrived across six and a half decades.

A China specialist, John published books on late Imperial local government in China, public health in Taiwan, and public and military healthcare in China from 1930-1945 (English and Chinese editions). In later life, John combined his intellect, spirituality, and belief in the importance of public ethics in his book The Wisdom of the Covenants and their Relevance to our Times (2019). Written for a secular audience wanting to better navigate the Judeo-Christian wisdom tradition at a time of increasing culture and gender wars, political unrest, and religious fundamentalism, the book is a roadmap for living intentionally, embracing others with grace and mercy, and stewarding the earth.

John began his teaching career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1964, but the sunny climes and counterculture of the West Coast proved irresistible, and he joined the experimental Johnston College in Redlands, Calif., as a founding faculty member. Embracing long hair, bell bottoms, and sideburns, John starred in the college’s musical productions, moderated spirited student debates, and charmed students and faculty alike with his English accent and self-deprecating humor.

As comfortable in the countryside as the ivory tower, John returned to Vermont with his family in 1974. There, he threw himself into homesteading with Anne, tending to stone walls, downed trees, gardens, timeworn furniture, and a very old farmhouse while also navigating miles of rural roads to his job as dean of Windham College.

Upon leaving higher education, he co-founded a consulting firm, Bury Nelson & Watt, to assist nonprofit organizations with strategic planning and fundraising. John continued his nonprofit work as executive director for the American Bureau for Medical Advancement in China, which promoted medical exchange between Taiwan and the United States. He later served as a liaison with the Ford Foundation to place Chinese graduate students in U.S. research institutions.

Having moved back to Cambridge, John’s final professional endeavor combined his expertise in China with his skills in fundraising. He and Anne created the nonprofit New England China Network, operating under the Primary Source umbrella, to strengthen K-12 teaching about China. Supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Freeman Foundation, hundreds of New England teachers and administrators attended Primary Source’s highly coveted summer institutes, followed by study tours in China where John transfixed participants as tour guide extraordinaire with his charismatic and theatrical retelling of Chinese history, people, and places.

Above all, John was a uniquely talented organist, pianist, and leader of chamber music. He had the ability to play almost any score on sight, and had a profound connection with the emotion of a piece of music. He was gifted with an astonishing musical ear, so that any piece could be instantly transposed into any key for the convenience of others. In every community he called home, John gathered people together to make music, organizing chamber groups with musicians of all ages. After returning to the Boston area, John and Anne also joined the Harvard Radcliffe Community Chorus. Music was deep in John’s DNA; it was one of the things he was able to enjoy until the end. As he listened to music, he often described a piece as an old friend.

Curious and informed, spiritual and sacrilegious, witty and sardonic, John was a true original who shared his gifts liberally with those he loved. He excelled at penning lyrical poetic tributes to family members and friends, and documenting special occasions with his trademark British wit. A world traveler throughout his life, John loved to paint and sketch everywhere he went. Deeply kind, modest, diplomatic, and a friend and mentor to people of all ages and nationalities, John added depth and texture to the lives of all his colleagues and friends.

John adored his family and frequent gatherings throughout the year. He was a devoted husband of Anne and proud father to three accomplished daughters, Alison, Fiona, and Jennifer, and a son, Duncan, who died at 14 months of age. John was also the loving grandfather of four amazing grandchildren: Alec, Nicholas, Arden, and Eleanor. John’s spirit, love, and warmth remain in the hearts of his family and circle of friends. The universe is poorer for his absence.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to Primary Source. Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence on John’s tribute page, click here.

Mark John Deck, age 73, of Lincoln and Nantucket, passed away peacefully and in the comfort of his home on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2025, following a hard-fought, six-year battle with pancreatic cancer. In his final days, his wife, his four children and all nine grandchildren surrounded him with love and affection. In true Mark spirit, he had his quick wit and sense of humor until his last breath.

He was born on Halloween 1952 in New Orleans, the son of the late Raymond and Veronica (Abbick) Deck. Growing up, the family moved from Louisiana to Wisconsin to Massachusetts and eventually settled in West Hartford, Conn. He was a graduate of Kingswood Oxford High School with the class of 1970. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Science (cum laude) from Syracuse University. Mark worked as a middle school math teacher before pursuing his MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management in 1979. Subsequently, he was employed by MDS and Mercer before joining PRTM.

Mark joined the management consulting firm Pittiglio, Rabin, Todd & McGrath (PRTM) as a partner in 1995 in PRTM’s Weston, and subsequently Waltham, office. Mark led PRTM’s product development and innovation practice — PACE — enhancing the firm’s capabilities and position in this important market. As part of the firm’s global expansion, Mark spent four years in Shanghai helping to build PRTM’s team and market presence in China. Mark also helped support the initial integration efforts after PwC’s acquisition of PRTM before retiring at the end of 2011. Throughout his PRTM tenure, Mark was known across the firm as a product development expert, an adept team builder, and a consummate mentor. Mark knew the importance of balancing work with fun, as exemplified by hosting PRTM partners at his home watching the opening action sequence from every James Bond movie. Mark fully lived up to PRTM’s core value – make an impact – both personally and professionally.

An avid cyclist, Mark proudly completed the Pan Mass Challenge twelve times. His love of biking aside, his devotion to cancer care and research was his true mission, and he continued to ride and raise money for years following his own diagnosis. As a forty-year Lincoln resident, Mark volunteered for town committees that benefited the school system. He was a member of First Parish in Lincoln, where he also participated with the choir. An amateur carpenter and handyman, there was never a home project Mark didn’t enjoy. A special highlight was the renovation and restoration work to convert a 110 year-old farm house barn into his wife’s quilting studio in Lincoln.

His love of sports, especially the Red Sox, never wavered. His fondness for the team was represented by the names of his respective boats — “Fenway Faithful” and “Still Faithful”. He enjoyed music, and was a firm believer in using music as a medium for healing, communication, and meaningful connections. He was an avid consumer of The New York Times crossword puzzle, and also completed Wordle and Connections puzzles with Tricia every day. He traveled extensively, and was always seeking out new adventures and unique culinary experiences. In addition to his summer house on Nantucket, his family cabin on Lake Willoughby, Vt., always held a special place in his heart. He cherished his time there, whether it was water skiing, making memories with his family, sipping on a Manhattan or stargazing on the deck.

Fundamental to Mark’s character was his undying dedication to his wife, Tricia. As high-school sweethearts, they were inseparable from the day they met. Their supportive and loving relationship was a crucial part of Mark’s advice on how to live a happy and fulfilling life. Mark maximized every moment in life, always leading with love, and never shying away from a challenge.

Mark embodied the rare gift of bringing people together and fostering meaningful relationships. He leaves behind an amazing network of connection through the lives he enriched with his unconditional love. He was an extraordinary grandfather and a supportive uncle and great-uncle. Through good times and bad, Mark could be leaned on for advice, moral support, or just a good laugh.

Mark’s memory and legacy will live on through his wife of 51 years, Tricia (Purrington) Deck and their four children: Wilbur Deck and his wife Reba, Eliza Ryan and her husband Damion, Heidi Ledbetter and her husband, Emmett, and Michela Deck and her husband, Sam Treadway. He was the proud “Pop Pop” of Zachary (25), Gabrielle (23), Pearl (13), Odin (10), Donnie (7), Corbin (5), Piper (5), Teagan (2) and Lucia (1). He also leaves behind his siblings, Barbara Deck, Michael Deck, Mimi Rutledge and her husband, Tom, two sisters-in-law, Priscilla Deck and Sarah Fujiwara, along with many nieces, nephews and extended family. Mark was predeceased by two brothers, Raymond Deck Jr. and Kevin Deck.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Mark’s life during a memorial service at First Parish of Lincoln on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 10:00am, with a reception immediately following. Burial at Lincoln Cemetery will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mark’s honor may be made to support cancer research and care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), specifically targeting pancreatic cancer research. 

Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. The service will be livestreamed here. To share a memory or post on Mark’s tribute page, click here.

Rev. Mark A. Mahoney, pastor of St. Julia Parish of Weston and Lincoln, died Monday, Nov. 10, 2025 in Regina Cleri in Boston after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 65.

A Rite of Reception of the Body will be held on Friday, Nov. 21 at 2:30pm at St. Julia’s Church (74 Boston Post Road, Weston). Fr. Mark will lie in state from 3:00–7:00pm. A Concelebrated Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 10:30 a.m. Burial is private. Those wishing to view the livestream and recording of the Funeral Mass may use this link. His full obituary is available here.

Richard K. Lahnstein, age 85, a lifelong Lincoln resident, died at Care Dimensions Hospice House on Nov. 19, 2025, following a brief illness.

He was born in Boston on May 28, 1940 as the son of the late Karl and Margaret (Lennon) Lahnstein. After attending Lincoln public schools through eighth grade, he graduated from Weston High School in 1958. He earned an associate’s degree in architectural engineering from Wentworth Institute in 1960.

For 43 years, Mr. Lahnstein worked for the Stop & Shop Supermarket Co., where he retired from as a senior store planning engineer in their construction department.

He leaves behind his devoted partner, Geneva Smithlin of Lexington; his nephews, Frank A. Domenichella III and his wife Bea of Leominster; Paul Domenichella and his wife Jeanne of Arlington; his niece, Mary (Domenichella) O’Halloran and her husband Chuck of Fitchburg; and four great nieces, one great nephew, and one great-great niece. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sister, Margaret “Peggy” Domenichella, his brother-in-law, Frank A. Domenichella Jr., and his nephew, Stephen Domenichella.

Family and friends will gather for visiting hours at the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford St., Concord on Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 4:00–7:00 pm. The funeral will be on Wednesday, Nov. 26 beginning at 10 am from Dee Funeral Home, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 am in St. Joseph Church in Lincoln. Burial will follow at Lincoln Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in his memory to Care Dimensions Hospice. Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence on his tribute page, please click here.

John G. Power of Lincoln, formerly of Weekapaug, R.I., passed away peacefully on October 3, 2025, at the age of 92. He was predeceased by Pat Power, his loving wife of 59 years, and his youngest son, William. He leaves behind his partner of several years, Fay Boudrot.

John is survived by his son John G. Power III (Alessandra Araujo); his daughter Janet (Jan) Power (Peter Nobile); his grandchildren Eoin Power (Jelena Dokic), Nike Power, and Duncan Nobile; and his great-grandson, Lazar Power. John also leaves behind his sister Mary Power of Ossipee, N.H., his brother Frank of Marietta, Ga., and numerous nieces and nephews.

John was born in Medford and grew up in Winchester, the fourth of six children. He was a Korean War army veteran who returned home to marry Patricia Gillis and then attend college at the University of New Hampshire. John was always proud of his UNH affiliation and went on, in 1989, to become a founding board member of the UNH Foundation, which raises funds to support university programs, students, faculty, and facilities. He also contributed his time and skills as a board member of St. Francis Hospital in Hartford and Shawmut Bank in Boston, and as a trustee of the Weekapaug Foundation for Conservation.

A graduate of the Wharton School of Business, John spent his career, post-grad school, working for The Hartford Insurance Group in Hartford. While raising his family with Pat in Simsbury, Conn., John rose to senior vice president of the Investments department at The Hartford.

While John was serious about investing, he had a wry sense of humor, was an enthusiastic storyteller, and will be remembered by many for his readiness with a vintage song snippet. He was naturally curious about people and the world and had a strong belief in the importance of education. His serious and sometimes imposing demeanor belied a warmth that made guests feel welcome in his home, which he and Pat opened to many friends and family. A big sports fan, John would engage family in the annual “Bowl Picks” competition to choose the most winners of the college football bowl games on New Year’s Day. Winners received only bragging rights, but John (and Pat) zealously tracked the results and announced the winner each year with a modicum of fanfare.

John was someone who showed up — for his children’s and grandchildren’s many sports games, plays, or musical performances, and for friends and family who were going through important life passages. He will be greatly missed by those who knew him.

Relatives and friends will gather for a period of visitation on Tuesday, Oct. 21, from 10:00–11:30 am at Dee Funeral Home (27 Bedford St., Concord). A memorial service will follow at 11:30am in the funeral home, followed by a reception.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s memory to the UNH Foundations. Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. Share a memory or to offer a condolence on John’s tribute page.

Robert Louis Solar, a longtime resident of Lincoln passed away peacefully in the presence of family on the morning of September 17, 2025 at the age of 79.

He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Jane; his son Matt and his wife Lauren and their children Phoebe and Tyler; and his son Josh, his wife Danielle and their children Jackson and Sadie.

Bob grew up in Brookline as one of four boys. With the family’s boat moored in Boston Harbor, he developed a lifelong love of saltwater fishing from an early age. He attended the Belmont Hill School (’64), graduated from Colby College (’68), and later earned a graduate degree from the Wharton School (’70).

After Wharton, Bob spent time as a potter in New Hampshire, where he met Jane. They married in 1974 and lived in Chocorua, N.H., for several years before finally settling in Lincoln in 1979, where Bob joined his father, Hervey, at the family business in Boston.

In Lincoln, Bob and Jane kept busy caring for horses, dogs, cats, and chickens — and tending to all the yard work that came with them. In 1985, with the goal of spending more time as a family on the water, they bought a summer home in South Bristol, Maine, where Bob spent countless hours fishing for bluefish and striped bass and driving for the kids’ water sports.

When not enjoying the outdoors, Bob was a voracious reader, often finishing several novels a week. He loved napping on the couch with his dogs and was known for his quick wit and dry, sarcastic sense of humor.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust or to Damariscotta’s Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust. A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary.  To share a remembrance or offer a condolence on Bob’s tribute page, please click here.