Peter Kelleher, lifelong resident of Hingham, died Dec 1, 2011. He was 94.
He grew up on Otis St., the son of Mary Fee and John Kelleher, who had 10 children. Peter was an avid sailor, hunter, fisherman, and bird watcher and enjoyed teaching his 36 nephews and nieces and many of their friends how to row, sail, and love the water as much as he did.
He studied mechanical engineering at Wentworth College and worked at MIT for 40 years building and inventing scientific apparatuses with some of the brightest minds of his generation. During WW II Kelleher worked on a top secret project developing radar for American fighter planes. After the war at MIT, he built the crucible where the first industrial diamonds were grown.
A modest man of many talents Peter built boats, made sails, and fashioned metal and wood into many useful things. Later in life, Peter carved life-sized terns, egrets, and other shore birds notable for their grace and realism.
Peter won many races as a member of the Blue Water Sailing Club and his favorite cup was the one he got for beating his perennial sailing rival, George Crocker of Cohasset.
A Funeral Mass will be held at St Paul’s Catholic Church in Hingham, December 17, 2011 at 10 a.m.
Burial will follow in Saint Paul’s Church, Hingham.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Ducks Unlimited, Inc. One Waterfowl Way Memphis, Tennessee, USA 38120