obits

Dan Boynton

Daniel Chase Boynton, 89, a visionary leader, compassionate advocate, and founder of Bay Cove Human Services, passed away on July 17 due to complications from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Dan’s entrepreneurial spirit, impact on the community, and pioneering work in the field of mental health services for underserved populations will long be remembered.

Born on July 2, 1934 in Providence, R.I., Dan’s path was not predetermined; rather, it found him along the way. While his passion for audio technology led him to establish Audio Lab and become a pioneer in the home stereo business, it was his empathy, compassion, and deep-rooted belief that “there are no throwaway people” that ultimately guided him toward a greater purpose.

After selling Audio Lab in 1973, Dan spent two years as owner and publisher of the Provincetown Advocate, where he transformed the newspaper’s mission by giving voice to the LGBTQ community and the emerging feminist movement. He recognized Provincetown as a haven for the LGBTQ community during a crucial time when gay rights uprisings were sweeping across the nation.

In 1975, Dan’s life took a defining turn. Having survived his own childhood trauma and recognizing the unmet needs of individuals facing post-traumatic, mental health and substance abuse, Dan founded Bay Cove Human Services, a nonprofit organization committed to providing comprehensive support and resources to those most in need. Dan’s tireless efforts to break down barriers, reduce stigma, and promote inclusivity propelled the organization from a single program in Dorchester to dozens of programs serving thousands across the greater Boston area.

Dan and his wife Janet have been members of the Lincoln community since 1976. He was an active and committed member of the First Parish in Lincoln, where he served as chair of the Parish Committee and co-chair of the Social Concerns Committee. He was also a founding member of FPL’s community garden, providing fresh produce for local food programs.

Dan’s work at Bay Cove inspired Tucker Smith, a fellow parishioner at FPL, to establish “Fifty Families,” a heartwarming initiative that gathers hundreds of Christmas gifts each year for underserved children in Bay Cove’s Early Intervention program.

Dan is survived by his loving wife Janet and their children Carol, Wendy, Peter, and David; his twin brother Dick, and older brother Hal. He was also the proud grandfather of Rowan, Greg, Will, John, Lindsey, and Sage. His family was a constant source of love and support throughout his life and shares his passion for making a positive impact on the world.

A memorial service to honor Dan Boynton’s life and achievements will be held at First Parish in September. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to CurePSP (psp.org) or Bay Cove Human Services (www.baycovehumanservices.org). Dan donated his brain tissue to Mayo Clinic’s CurePSP research, ensuring that his legacy of helping others would extend beyond his lifetime.

John A. Pike

John A. Pike of Lincoln passed away on July 19, 2023 at the age of 92. The cause of death was complications from Parkinson’s disease.

A graduate of Williams College and Harvard Law School, John chose to devote many years of service to Belmont Hill School, which held a special place in his heart from the days when he attended with Dixon, his younger brother, great friend, and hockey teammate.

Following his retirement from Ropes & Gray after 36 years as a corporate and real estate lawyer, he worked with the Conservation Law Foundation on issues of the environment and public interest until his health prevented him from continuing with his work.

An avid hockey fan, particularly of the Boston Bruins, and a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy, he exemplified dignity, integrity, and fortitude, and, while gracious and respectful, he was a man who did not shrink from whatever responsibilities and challenges life presented. John was comfortable in the corporate world but happiest when he was splitting wood and driving his tractor on some project around his family property in Randolph, Vt., or enjoying fun and games with his family, particularly his grandchildren.

He reluctantly leaves behind his beloved wife and constant companion of 65 years, Polly, his five children, his 10 grandchildren, and many friends and admirers, all of whom will cherish memories of his calm demeanor, sage advice, dry sense of humor, possibly his mischievous side, and definitely his hands, which were warm and strong to the end.

A private service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence in John’s online guestbook, please click here.

Evelyn Harris

Evelyn Harris

Evelyn B. Harris of Old Sudbury Road passed away on July 10, 2023 at the age of 94. Evelyn had resided in Lincoln since 1963 and was known to many Lincoln residents as a pianist, piano teacher, bee-keeper, and nature lover. Interment will be private, with a memorial celebration to be announced later this year. Evelyn is survived by her son David Harris and his wife Amy, both Lincoln residents; her son Glenn Harris and his wife Vicky of Vienna, Va.; and four grandchildren.

Milton Davis

There will be a celebration of the life of Milton Davis, who died on June 11, 2023 at age 86, on Sunday, July 16 from 3–5 p.m. at The Commons in Lincoln. Click here to read his obituary on legacy.com.

E. Laurie Tolman

Dr. E. Laurie Tolman passed away on June 24 at the age of 88. Click here to read his obituary on legacy.com.

The Lincoln Squirrel publishes complete obituaries and photos that are provided by funeral homes for a fee. Others are located on legacy.com or provided directly by families.

Homer Eckhardt

Homer David Eckhardt, 98, of Lincoln died peacefully in his sleep on June 26, 2023. He was the loving husband for 54 years of Beverly Hillmann Eckhardt, with whom he had recently moved to the Residence at Paine Estate in Wayland.

Homer was born in Rochester, N.Y., and attended public schools. A lifelong engineer by profession as well as by temperament, he entered the Class of 1945 at the MIT but interrupted his studies to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He completed his Bachelor of Science at MIT, where he was also awarded a Master of Science in aeronautics and astronautics in 1948. He continued his work for two years at the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory.

After work opportunities took him to Minneapolis, Minn., and Binghamton, N.Y., Homer returned to Massachusetts, where he lived for the rest of his life. He was a founding member of Brown’s Wood in Lincoln, where he moved with his late first wife, Mary Grinnell, and their first two daughters into a beautiful modern house surrounded by trees. He maintained an active interest in his neighborhood association, town affairs, and the public school system.

During his long career, Homer applied his expertise to a range of engineering challenges. For nearly three decades he worked in aeronautical systems controls at RCA Aerospace Systems Division in Burlington. Then, at Rockwell Industries in Hopedale, he designed improvements to increase the speed and reduce the noise of textile manufacturing equipment. At this time he became active in the Acoustical Society of America. His final full-time job at Polaroid was followed by a period of consulting.

Homer was a lifelong learner who enthusiastically shared his knowledge and constructive ways of thinking with colleagues, family and friends alike. During his years as a consultant, he was delighted to also serve as adjunct professor in mechanical engineering at Tufts University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His textbook Kinematic Design of Machines and Mechanisms was published in 1998 to lead his students and other engineers into a deeper understanding of the design of mechanical systems.

Homer supported the arts and loved to design and build things in his basement shop. Furniture and clocks he made could be found throughout his home. He also enjoyed constructing models to demonstrate mathematical and mechanical concepts he was exploring and teaching.

Beginning with hiking and skiing adventures in college, outdoor sports were an activity Homer enjoyed, introducing to his children and sharing with friends and family throughout his life. He particularly enjoyed long-distance bicycling, including riding with the Northeast Bicycle Club in the 1980s. Well into his nineties, he was fondly known by his neighbors for his daily walks up and down the hilly roads of his neighborhood.

Homer was brother to the late Joan E. Cody. He is survived by his wife, Beverly H. Eckhardt; his daughters Margaretha M. Eckhardt of Waltham, Juliana E. Huljack of Stockton, N.J., and Anneliese M.E. Pugh of Alna, Maine; his sons Jason C. Eckhardt of New Bedford, Mass., and Kris G. Eckhardt of Westbrook, Maine; six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

A private graveside service will be held for the immediate family at Lincoln Cemetery. At a later date, the family will announce a memorial service to which all are invited. In lieu of flowers, donations in Homer Eckhardt’s memory may be made to one of the following:

Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. To share a memory or to offer a condolence in his online guestbook, please click here.

Jacquelyn Hall Snelling

There will be visiting hours on June 30 and a service on July 1 for Jacquelyn Hall Snelling, 86, recently of Maynard and formerly of Lincoln and Concord, who passed away on June 24, 2023 at Emerson Hospital. She was the beloved wife of 66 years to John R. Snelling.

Jacquelyn Hall was born in Boston on January 15, 1937, the only child of Abbott Hall and Ebba (Hanson) Hall. Early raised and educated in Roslindale, she moved to Needham where she attended and graduated from Needham High School. She later attended secretarial school at Westbrook College in Maine, earning an associate’s degree.

Jackie and John married on May 31, 1958, in Christ Episcopal Church in Needham. They first settled in Boston for a short time before relocating to Lincoln for many years, and in 2013 they moved to Concord.  Jackie worked as a secretary for both Digital Equipment Corporation as well as St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Lincoln before retiring in 1995.

A devoted wife, mother, grandmother and recently great-grandmother, Jackie cherished the time with her family. She knitted baby sweaters for family and friends as well as Christmas stockings that are still hung by chimneys with care.

Jackie was a selfless, caring person. She was a long-time contributor and volunteer for Emerson Hospital, Meals on Wheels, the Lincoln, and Concord Council on Aging. She also drove many elderly residents to their local appointments.

Along with her husband John, she is survived by her son Philip R. Snelling and wife Kathleen of Lawrenceville, Ga., and her daughter Kristen Snelling Barrett of Maynard. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Lauren and Kyle Khawly, Tucker Barrett, Shannon Barrett Porter and her husband Steven, and James Barrett, as well as her great-granddaughter Ava Porter.

Family and friends will gather to honor and remember Jackie on Friday, June 30 from 4–7 p.m. at the Concord Funeral Home (74 Belknap St., Concord). Her funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 1 at 11:00 am at St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church, 147 Concord Rd., Lincoln. Burial in Lincoln Cemetery will be private. Donations in her memory may be made to Emerson Hospital, 133 ORNAC, Concord, MA. 01742

Arrangements under the care of Concord Funeral Home, which provided this obituary. Click here to see Jacquelyn’s remembrance page.

Donald Millard

Donald Allan Millard III, 61, passed away on May 16, 2023, at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton. He had not been ill but died of a sudden anoxic brain injury.

Donnie was born in Boston on March 24, 1962, to Donald A. Millard Jr. and Catherine C. Millard, and grew up in the town of Lincoln. He was autistic and nonverbal, and received educational support through the public school system and private schools until he was 18. Since then, he received vocational training, job placement and job coaching from Autism Services Association in Wellesley and Waltham.  He worked at Shaw’s/Star Market for over 30 years, and at Demoulas Market Basket for eight years. He lived in a small group home in Bedford managed by Cooperative for Human Services of Lexington.

At a very early age, Donnie showed musical ability. He could pick out tunes on the piano, and he sang – without words. Classical music was his favorite, but he loved folk music and the Beatles as well, and he would dance to recordings. His CD collection was huge — Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was a real favorite. He was still taking weekly lessons with a music therapist at Powers Music School in Belmont.

Years ago, his parents bought a summer house on the beach in Hull because Donnie loved to swim — he swam underwater in the pool his father had built at his grandparents’ house in Lincoln, but he especially loved the beach, where he could run free and body-surf in the waves.

Autistic people are seen as lacking relationship skills and are not responsive even to the affection of their parents. While this was true of Donnie as a small child, he obviously grew in affection toward his parents, his sisters, and others in his world. He always greeted us with delight and enjoyed his holidays with us. He was a happy man. He seemed to illustrate Sigmund Freud’s belief that every man needs his love and his work.

Donnie is survived by his parents, Donald Millard Jr. and Catherine C. Millard of Lincoln, and his sisters, Ann Lindsay Clinton of Hull and Carol C. Millard of Lexington.

Family and friends are all invited to gather for visiting hours on Tuesday, May 30 from 4–7 p.m. at Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford St., Concord, MA. There will be no funeral services. Burial on Wednesday, May 31 in the Lincoln Cemetery will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please make a charitable contribution in Donnie’s name. Donations to Autism Services Association Inc., 47 Walnut St., Wellesley Hills MA 02481 or Cooperative for Human Services, Inc., 420 Bedford St., Suite 100, Lexington MA 02420 would be especially meaningful choices.

Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. To sign Donnie’s online guestbook, please click here.

Jack Mohr

John Jacob Mohr of Lincoln passed away on May 8, 2023 at the age of 96. Affectionately known as Jack, Dad and Pop-Pop, he was born in Lima Ohio on June 24, 1926. 

Jack grew up in an apartment with his mother above the Renz family bakery, in the building his grandfather owned. He got started with both photography and wood working at an early age. And after serving in World War II, he went on to college, graduating from MIT in 1950. It was while at MIT that he met Jean Field. They were married in the fall of 1950. Spending most of his career at Polaroid, he helped design and manufacture the Swinger, Big Swinger, and the SX70.

All who knew Jack will miss him terribly. But we know that he is now back together with his wife and in God’s care. He is survived by daughters Bonnie and Heather, her husband Paul, and grandsons Robert and John.

Jack was laid to rest in a private service on May 12, 2023 with U.S. Army military honors at the Lincoln Cemetery. Donations in his memory may be made to: Memorial Congregation Church of Sudbury, MA, The North Bennett Street School of Boston, MA, and MIT, Cambridge, MA.  

Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this shortened obituary. Click here for Jack’s full obituary and online guestbook.

Geraldine “Gerry” Hirshland

Beloved mother of four, grandmother of ten, Geraldine “Gerry” S. Hirshland passed peacefully on Saturday, May 6 in Concord, Mass., surrounded by her loving family at the age of 93.

She was a previously a long-time resident of suburban Philadelphia, active in the community and a prolific painter and lover of art (one of her paintings was accepted to the Philadelphia Museum of Art).

Following the retirement of Sam, her husband of over 40 years, the two moved to Chestertown, Md., to follow their love of sailing and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. She loved her time in Chestertown and was on the board of Chester River Yacht and Country Club and was active with Washington College and the Sultana Education Foundation.

Following many wonderful years in Chestertown, Gerry moved to Lincoln, Mass., to be near several sons and grandchildren. She continued her painting and love of life helping launch the art program at her new home, The Commons in Lincoln. Gerry will be remembered by all for her kindness, radiant smile, exuberantly positive spirit, and for opening up her heart and home, in times of tragedy, in celebration, or just because “it was five o’clock somewhere.”

Her favorite quote was “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain,” and would want us all to dance in her memory.

In addition to her marriage with the love of her life Sam, Gerry also had two other loving marriages. She was first married to Richard Krauss in 1953 until his untimely death from cancer in 1960. After Sam’s death in 2001, Gerry married Allan Malcolm, who passed in 2010. As befitting of her cheerful outlook on life, Gerry did not dwell on the fact that she was three times a widow, instead saying “I was blessed with the love of three men and for that I am lucky.”

Gerry is survived by her four sons, Bob, Roy, Larry, and Mike; grandchildren Gregory, Sammy, Henry, Maggie, Jack, Oliver, Hailey, Lucy, Jamie, and Sam; and daughters in law Christine, Rasa, and Tina. She will be laid to rest during a private burial service on Friday, May 12, 2023. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Gerry’s name to the Sultana Education Foundation, 200 S. Cross St., PO Box 524, Chestertown MD 21620. The foundation provides hands-on educational opportunities that promote stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay’s historic cultural, and environmental resources by helping students of all ages gain an appreciation for the Chesapeake Bay and the environment.

Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. To share a memory or to offer a condolence in her online guestbook, please visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.

Ed Koehler

Edward Franklin Koehler, age 92, of Lincoln, died peacefully at home on April 27, 2023 Koehler was larger than life. He was an architect and artist whose work can be seen over five continents. His art included numerous album covers and murals. He was particularly proud of his final murals created for the Veterans Administration in Bedford. He was an arts and sports enthusiast who revered Stan Kenton, Frank Lloyd Wright, Modigiliani, Humphrey Bogart, the New York Giants, and the Boston Celtics. He had a lifelong passion for Native American people and their causes. His enthusiasm was contagious. He impacted all who knew him.   

Koehler was born in Springfield, Mass., on August 29, 1930 and graduated from the University of Illinois before serving as a decorated Korean War veteran. He was prouder of his Combat Infantryman’s Badge than his Bronze Medal. 

Ed leaves behind his children, Art and Debbie Koehler of Harvard; Chuck and Karen Koehler of Mattapoisett, Michael Koehler and Abby Goldstein of Brooklyn, N.Y., Laura Koehler and Cary Pepper of San Francisco, Lee Koehler and Brian Ward of Rockport, and Jeanie Koehler and Ron Rice of Concord. He was the husband for 57 years of the late Meg Koehler, father of the late Niki Koehler, and brother of the late Paul Fox Koehler. 

Perhaps his greatest impact is his lasting influence on his seven children, seven grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren (with two more coming). He always loved his time with “the little ones.” 

Family and friends will gather for visiting hours in the Dee Funeral Home (27 Bedford St., Concord) on Wednesday, May 3 from 5–7 p.m. His funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 4 at 11 a.m. in the Farrar Chapel at Dee Funeral Home. Burial will follow with U.S. Army military honors at Lincoln Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory made be made to the American Indian College Fund or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  

Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence in Ed’s online guestbook, please click here.

Murray Nicolson

A funeral service will be held in St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church on Tuesday, April 11 at 11 a.m. for Murray Nicolson, 84, of Concord, who passed away on Saturday, April 1, 2023, surrounded by his beloved family.

He leaves behind his loving and devoted wife of 61 years, Barbara (Jones) Nicolson; his son, Edward Nicolson and his wife Valerie of San Francisco, Calif.; three grandchildren, Eleanor, Walter and James Nicolson; and his brother, David Nicolson and wife Liz of Edinburgh, Scotland. He was predeceased by his son, Stephen Murray Nicolson.

Family and friends are invited to gather for his funeral service at St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, 147 Concord Road, Lincoln on April 11 at 11 a.m. Services will conclude with a reception in the parish hall and burial at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Murray’s memory to St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 6, Lincoln, MA 01773.

Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home, which provided this obituary. To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence in Nicolson’s online guestbook, visit  www.DeeFuneralHome.com and click on Obituaries.