LACONIA ---- Douglas William Bindrim, 86, of Laconia, passed away on Saturday, June 15, 2024, at Belknap County Nursing Home in Laconia.
Douglas was born April 19, 1938 in Rockville Centre on Long Island, New York to Julius Bindrim and Virginia (Keeler) Bindrim.
While stationed at the US Army base in Bad Kreuznach, West Germany, in 1963, he met Linda at a mutual friend’s house in Long Island, NY, and – after a brief courtship – they were married. While living in Europe, it was an exciting time and they took full advantage of their proximity to all that was happening there, including traveling throughout the continent to watch Grand Prix Racing in Germany, Italy, Spain, and other countries.
After his stint in the Army, Doug and Linda came back to the US, where Doug stated working for the family business in Brooklyn, NY. Doug eventually moved the company – which dealt with equipment sales, service, and rentals to contractors and municipalities – to Long Island, where he had also begun racing boats with the Eastern Outboard Racing Club. Having been interested in virtually anything with a motor since he was young, his pursuit of speed would only increase as time went on, with he and Linda traveling around the country to race outboards at American Power Boat Association events.
In 1996, Doug and Linda retired to Laconia, NH, where they became fixtures in the Lake Winnipesaukee community – Linda through volunteer efforts with a variety of organizations, and Doug through becoming involved in a variety of groups focused on history, old boats, and old motorcycles. These would be the pursuits that would help introduce him to countless people throughout the years, many of whom would become life-long friends, including the “Saturday Morning Irregulars,” a cast of coffee and donuts characters who spent every Saturday socializing at a revolving series of garages throughout the region. And it was also here, via his ownership of Sister Syn – a famous 1925 Dodge sweepstakes race boat that he shared with the public as often as possible - that he would become known in New Hampshire and beyond. His stewardship of one of the great boats of the golden age of racing included everything from racing Sister Syn in the bi-annual Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta to giving rides to friends and strangers alike, all while taking care of the considerably complex maintenance such an exotic boat constantly required.
While these passions were with him to his last days, the great and everlasting love of his life was his wife Linda, who was by his side, supporting him, traveling with him and acting as the perfect balance to all his eccentricities.
Doug is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Linda (Harshbarger) Bindrim; his brothers Julius and his wife Dorothy Bindrim Dorothy, of E. Troy, WI, and Donald Bindrim, of Riceville, TN; sister-in-law Karen Boehringer; and his labradoodle Bella. Along with his parents, he is predeceased by his sister-in-law Patricia Bindrim.
Per Doug’s request, there will be no services.
For those who wish, the family suggests memorial donations in Doug’s name be made to NH Boat Museum, PO Box 1195, Wolfeboro Falls, NH 03896, or New Hampshire Humane Society, PO Box 572, Laconia, NH 03247.
Linda would like to thank the staffs at the Belknap County Nursing Home and Lakes Region VNA for their compassionate care they provided to Douglas.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia NH is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to wilkinsonbeane.com.