John Randolph Nott, known as Randy, passed away at his home in Hanover, Massachusetts on February 12, 2022. He was born February 16, 1943 in Medford, MA, the son of John Cornish and Genevieve Margaret Cronin Nott.
Randy grew up in Boston’s Back Bay in family homes on Fairfield and Beacon streets and had made his home in Hanover for almost 50 years.
He received a wonderful education and had many treasured friends and experiences at The Park School in Brookline, Belmont Hill School (Class of 1961), and Princeton University (Class of 1965). In school he was active in sports and played at Belmont Hill on New England Championship basketball teams which won 55 straight games. He remained an avid sports fan and in his latter years seldom missed a televised Patriots, Red Sox or Celtics game.
He worked in Boston in insurance underwriting, as a vice president with Frank B Hall and earlier for many years with New England Life. He was very active with the Boston Jaycees, serving as their president and state and national representatives.
At New England Life he met the love of his life, Norwegian native Bjørg Lygren. They married in 1966 and raised three wonderful daughters. She worked for many years as a flight attendant, allowing them and their daughters frequently to visit her family in Norway and explore the world together using her work travel benefits. Sadly, she passed away in 2001 after a long, courageous battle with cancer.
He loved music and sang for four years in Boston's Trinity Church Boys’ Choir under Dr. Francis W. Snow. He became an accomplished guitarist and amateur folk, rock, and jazz performer. He loved and excelled at fishing and for many years edited fly tying magazines. He was a voracious reader and book collector and loved activities with his family.
Till the end of his life he remained very active and intellectually vigorous in pursuit of the many progressive and environmental causes about which he deeply cared. He stayed in regular contact with many family members and friends, including almost 5000 Facebook friends all over the world who shared his interests and enjoyed his humor and wisdom. On his last day on Earth he initiated and shared 28 posts and provided for a birthday fund-raising campaign on his Facebook page.
Randy’s survivors include his daughters and their husbands Kristin and Craig Riley of Belchertown, MA, Lisa and Daniel French of Hull, MA, and Sarah Nott and Christopher Joyce of Plymouth, MA; beloved grandchildren James and Jason French, Brian Riley, and Krista Joyce; brother Roger Eliphalet Nott of Gainesville, GA and his wife Mary Elizabeth; brother-in-law John Lygren and his wife Joanne of Milton Mills, NH; nephew John Nott of Peachtree Corners, GA; nieces Kari Lygren of Milton Mills, NH. and Kirsten Lygren of Alexandria, NH; and first cousins Beverly Harloff of Gloucester, MA, and Harry Gilbert of Sun City West, AZ.
Randy’s ashes will be scattered on Cape Cod, where he lived in the summer growing up in West Harwich at the mouth of the Herring River and where he later frequently fished and enjoyed family outings.
Those wishing to make gifts in Randy’s memory are invited to consider Amnesty International (https://www.amnesty.org/en/donate/), the Ocean Conservancy (https://donate.oceanconservancy.org/page/40745/donate/1?locale=en-US), or any organization which promotes and honors Randy’s love of mankind and pursuit of the truth and works for a fairer, more humane and prosperous world.
A drop-in remembrance party will be held in his honor all day beginning at 2:00 p.m. at his daughter Lisa’s home in Hull on Saturday June 25, 2022. Anyone wishing to attend may email her at [email protected] to get details. Condolences may also be sent to that address.