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HAROLD “HUTCH“ R. HUTCHINS
MILTON — Harold Ray Hutchins, 88, of Milton, formerly of Medford, Canton, and Hyannis Port, Mass., died on Saturday, June 15, 2013, in Fletcher Allen Hospital, in Burlington.
Hutch was born on March 17, 1925, in Malden, Mass., to the late Earl and Alice Hutchins. Following graduation from Medford High School in 1943, he joined the United States Navy, serving as Aviation Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class, Navigator and Flight Engineer for the Air/Sea Rescue/Patrol Bombing Squadron in the Pacific. At the end of WWII, Hutch was part of the air-sea patrols guarding the 1945 United Nations Conference with Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin and Chiang Kaichek attending. He received an honorable discharge on April 3, 1946, and remained in the U.S. Navy Reserve until 1952.
After attending the Northeast Aircraft School, Hutch worked for 39 years as an Aircraft Service Manager/Auto-Pilot Specialist at Wiggins Airways and at Logan and Norwood. He left Wiggins in 1983 and worked for Griffin Avionics at Hyannis until he retired in 1987. He continued to tell stories and draw lessons from his working life until the day he passed away.
Hutch will be greatly missed by his wife of 64 years, Barbara; his two brothers, Stanley and wife, Shirley, of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., and Ray and wife, Jane, of Sarasota, Fla.; and his four children, Judy Keller and husband, Jim, of Gig Harbor, Wash., and LaQuinta, Calif., Janet Yates and husband, Peter, of South Hero, Rob Hutchins and wife, Ginger, of Washington, D.C., and Gwen Hutchins of South Hero. He also leaves 12 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren that he was so proud of.
Hutch was predeceased by his eldest daughter, Nancy Sevene, in 2007.
Above all, his life was devoted to his large extended family that included special nieces and nephews and “adopted“ family friends.
Hutch was like the “Pied Piper of Camp Everest“, leading everyone to the beach or filling the station wagon with children and heading to the village for ice cream; teaching kids to water-ski, drive and play cribbage; or sitting in his special chair with the newest baby held contented and sleeping in the crook of his arm. A favorite memory of the little ones was sharing cherries with “Gramps“ and then spitting the pits over the camp hill.
He spoiled his beloved Schnauzers and enjoyed working and playing outdoors in all weather.
He took great pleasure from his vegetable garden, hunting, his old Boston Whaler, and driving the shuttle tractors for South Hero’s AppleFest for 18 years. He also liked a good round of golf, and was very proud of his first hole-in-one in 1986. Hutch and Barbara enjoyed traveling, but especially to Maine and the Maritimes.
Hutch was a Vermonter at heart. He loved Lake Champlain his entire life and instilled the same enthusiasm in his family.
He died with few, if any, regrets and every person who knew and loved him is a better person because of it. As one of his grandchildren, Tynan Hutchins, wrote: “We may not build our own houses on the tops of hills in rural Vermont, but my grandfather’s independent spirit has been passed down to all of us. I’d like to think that his inclination to trust and his sense of right and wrong did as well.“ The family wishes to acknowledge the wonderful care that Harold received from the staff at Northwestern Medical Center ICU and Fletcher Allen.
An informal gathering to celebrate and remember Hutch’s life will be held at the family cottage at 4 Ethel Place, Milton, on Saturday, June 22, 2013, from 1 to 5 p.m. Stephen C. Gregory & Son, Cremation Service, in charge of arrangements.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Make-A-Wish Foundation, 100 Dorset St., South Burlington, VT 05401; or Champlain Valley Agency on Aging (CVAA), 76 Pearl St., Ste 201, Essex Junction, VT 05452.