Andrew "Andy" Hoar Obituary

Wilton, NH - Today Wilton and the world are poorer for the loss of Andy Hoar who died, post surgery in Nashua, August 5th, 2025. One of the things that marks a person's life is how they are remembered. Our sons Braden, Damon (Brenda), and Zander (Kate), remember him as the person who taught them life skills they're taking into their own futures. Skills that form character. Practical skills that have served them while building their own families and their own careers, whether these are carpentry or the usefulness of math, how to cast a fishing line or the importance of doing a job right no matter how long it may take, to finding a way to bring laughter into the world.

Friends and co-workers have described Andy as "Everyone's Valium" because of his ability to diffuse situations with his sense of humor and irony. Yet within that quiet exterior there was a mind that relished problem solving, whether the problem was a tricky town zoning matter or how to make computer chips work faster, better, longer and cheaper. Professionally he got the most enjoyment from finding solutions to seemingly unsolvable engineering problems. Because of this he was a rare and respected team member for companies from Wang and Apollo to Masscomp, DEC, Marconi, Ericsson and finally AMD, with a few startups in between.

One of the things he loved most was to sail the Maine coast with his brother Derek and sister, Jennifer. Perkin's Cove mussels were one of his favorite treats. He also took great pride in seeing how many miles per gallon he could get in his Prius. I think his best was just shy of 70 MPG. But that meant he drove much more slowly than I thought appropriate. He also enjoyed sharing time working on projects with his sons.

I met Andy forty years ago. His smiling eyes, kindness, integrity, searching mind, sense of humor, broad range of interests in fiction and non-fiction literature, theater, bluegrass and blues music to opera; ballet and ice skating to track and field and swimming, women's basketball and soccer to football, and his ability to discuss national and international politics and affairs from both historical and anthropological perspectives were what I fell in love with. We married in 1986. I was fortunate to have shared 40 of Andy's nearly 70 full years of life.

He left not only his brother, sister, brother and sister-in-law Todd and Nancy Cochran, his children and me (Gail), he also loved the time he had with his 8 grandchildren: Lexus and Adaire (Braden), Cameron, Chase and step-granddaughter Emerald (Damon and Brenda) and Ellie, William and Finn (Zander and Kate) and five nephews and nieces, Rory, Sophie, Griffin, Carrie (Tony Mclain) and Ian (Adam Gordon). Andy will also be missed by many friends, neighbors, town officials for his years of work on the ZBA and other organizations and former team members from his various jobs.

There will be no immediate service, but a future gathering of remembrance is possible. Donations in Andy's name may be made to the NPR/PBS station or stations of your choice or Andy's Summer Playhouse.