Harold Joseph Pendergast

WEBSTER - On August 13, 2025, at the age of 75, Harry Pendergast decided it was time to go. If you knew Harry, you know it was on his own terms. He never liked being told what to do, and he sure wasn’t about to start now.

Harry was a man of simple pleasures: casting a line, tending the BBQ, rescuing animals on the side of the road, sharing laughs that carried for miles, and enjoying the loyal company of his dog, Crouton. He was known for his generosity, his booming humor, and his listening ear that made everyone feel heard. He never turned down an adventure, a chance to help someone, or the chance to make someone smile.

In his younger years, Harry was a traveler at heart, collecting adventures like souvenirs. He hitchhiked, explored, and stacked up a lifetime of stories that only grew better each time he told them, usually with a twinkle in his eye and just enough embellishment to keep everyone hooked.

He was preceded in death by his parents Harold and Marjorie, his daughter Lorine, and his son and best friend Anton, who no doubt greeted him with a cold beer and a fishing pole in hand.

Harry is survived by his partner Peggy, who provided loving care; his children Lance (Joann), Stacey Gauthier (Matt), Joe (Caroline), Shannon Bogolea (Ben), and daughter-in-law Melissa Zwang (Anton); his sister Audrey (Ronnie); and most proudly, his grandchildren, who will forever remember him as the “never-say-no” Grampa, always ready for mischief, adventure, and a story worth retelling.

Harry showed incredible strength through seven years of medical challenges, defying the odds time and again with grit, humor, and sheer stubbornness. Our family takes comfort in knowing he is now free, reunited with those he loved most, and almost certainly already fishing, barbecuing, and laughing with Anton.

The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the incredible care team at UMass Medical Center, whose skill, compassion, and dedication gave Harry, and all of us, seven more years of memories, mischief, and marvels.

To honor Harry, gather your people, fire up the grill, laugh too loudly, and say “yes” when it matters. That is exactly how he’d want to be remembered.

The family plans to celebrate Harry’s life at a later time.