In Remembrance: Paul T. Fitzgerald

By Rob Kirsch, MWOBS Trustee & Immediate Past President

The Observatory and Mount Washington communities have lost a giant. Paul Thomas Fitzgerald passed away peacefully early on February 5, 2026.

Paul was born in Springfield, MA, on April 27, 1950, and moved to Laconia at the age of two. He attended St. John’s School, Laconia High School and graduated from St. Michael’s College. Paul was in the first graduating class of the Franklin Pierce Law Center, now UNH Law School.

Paul opened a law practice in Laconia with a classmate. He spent nearly fifty years serving the people of the Lakes Region and his hometown—steadfast, principled, and always ready with a wry smile that softened the hardest conversations.

Public service called him early. Paul served two terms as Mayor of Laconia. During his time as Mayor, he helped transform Laconia’s famed Motorcycle Weekend into the full-fledged Motorcycle Week that today draws riders from across the country. Paul loved the open road, and his glistening Harley was more than a motorcycle; it was a companion on countless rides with his wife Cheryl through the Lakes Region and beyond. Paul also served as Chairman of the Laconia Police Commission.

We celebrate Paul because of his humanity and decades of tireless support for the Observatory and Mount Washington.

Paul was a lifetime member of the Mount Washington Observatory and was elected to serve as a Trustee in 1985. He immediately stepped up to chair what was then known as the Operations Committee. Over the next four decades he was a constant part of the Observatory board’s leadership. Paul served on the board’s Executive Committee, was the President of the Observatory for eight years, lead efforts to recruit Trustees as chair of the Governance Committee for many years and served as the Observatory’s Secretary.

That summary, as full as it sounds, only begins to outline the depth to which Paul gave himself to this organization. He participated in and in multiple instances led efforts to recruit executive leaders for the Observatory. He readily gave of his time whenever a new or complex issue arose. When fire ravaged the State Park electric generators in 2003, Paul, then serving as President, was a constant, steadying presence, offering guidance to keep the staff safe and to support them in maintaining our summit observations. For more than a decade Paul and Cheryl were present as ambassadors at the summit weather station, welcoming thousands of hiker-participants in the Observatory’s annual Seek-the Peak fundraising celebration.

Paul’s service to Mount Washington extended beyond the Observatory. The Governor appointed Paul to represent the public on the Mount Washington Commission. He served there for decades, including several years as Commission Chair. As a Commissioner, Paul never wavered from his dedication to making the summit a welcoming, memorable place for the millions of people who visited there during the years he served as a Commissioner.

Paul actively engaged with all who participated in the Mount Washington community. Whether visitors reached the summit on a track, a road or a trail – he was there with a smile and a story. He respected and befriended the leadership and employees of the many public and private entities who make the summit of Mount Washington what it is, and he spoke glowingly of each whenever a summit visitor’s question or comment gave him an opening to do so. Mount Washington and the Observatory, in particular, was infused into Paul’s DNA, and he readily shared the joy it gave him with all he encountered.

Paul leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Cheryl Ann Fitzgerald; sons, Travis and Shawn Nichols and their spouses and children; his brothers, Edward and Michael Fitzgerald and their families; as well as grandchildren, nieces, and nephews who will carry his stories forward.

Paul’s death leaves a void that long will be felt across the expanse of the Summit. In January 2026, the Board of Trustees, in a unanimous vote, honored Paul’s service with the Observatory’s Founders Award. A future announcement will provide the date when we will recognize Paul together.

In lieu of flowers, Paul’s family invites donations in Paul’s memory to the Mount Washington Observatory, P.O. Box 2310, North Conway, NH 03860.