Paul T. Fitzgerald, 75

LACONIA — Paul Thomas Fitzgerald, 75, passed from this world on Feb. 5, 2026, as peacefully as a winter snow settling over the White Mountains he loved so dearly.

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on April 27, 1950, and raised in Laconia from the age of 2, Paul grew up among the lakes and hills that shaped his sense of place and purpose.

He attended St. John’s School (now Holy Trinity School) and Laconia High School before continuing to St. Michael’s College and becoming part of the inaugural graduating class of the Franklin Pierce Law Center.

After passing the New Hampshire Bar, Paul returned to the community that had formed him, opening a law practice in Laconia with a classmate. He spent nearly 50 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. He took pride in modeling his practice after William Keller and Harold Wescott, prominent and gentlemanly attorneys and NH Superior Court Justices from Laconia in the 1950s and 1960s, who were very close friends of his parents and well known to Paul.

Public service called to him early. Paul served two terms as mayor of Laconia, and later as chairman of the Laconia Police Commission. His leadership extended beyond the city limits to the summit of Mount Washington, where he served as secretary and president of the Board of Trustees of the Mount Washington Observatory. He was to receive the Observatory’s Founders’ Award the day after his passing — an honor that will now be bestowed posthumously, a fitting tribute to a man whose heart was forever tied to the mountain.

Paul’s stories of Mount Washington were legendary — tales of snowcats climbing through storms, of ice thick as armor, of the camaraderie inside the observatory walls while the world outside roared. He carried those memories like talismans, offering them freely to anyone willing to listen.

His other great love was the open road. Paul’s Harley was more than a motorcycle; it was a companion on countless rides with his wife Cheryl through the Lakes Region and beyond. During his time as mayor, he helped guide the transformation of Laconia’s famed Motorcycle Weekend into the full-fledged Motorcycle Week that now draws riders from across the country.

Paul was predeceased by his parents, Betsye A. and Edward J. Fitzgerald Jr. He leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Cheryl Ann Fitzgerald; sons Travis Nichols of Austin, Texas, and Shawn Nichols of Gilford, their spouses and children; his brothers, Edward Fitzgerald III of Fort Myers, Florida, and Michael Fitzgerald of Concord, and their families; as well as grandchildren, nieces and nephews who will carry his stories forward.

Those who knew Paul will remember his humor first — the twinkle in his eye before a joke, the elaborate practical pranks that became part of local lore, the way he could turn an ordinary moment into something worth retelling.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations in Paul’s memory to the Mount Washington Observatory, P.O. Box 2310, North Conway, NH 03860 — an organization that held his loyalty, his admiration, and a large piece of his heart.

The family extends deep gratitude to the staff of Golden View Health Care Center for their compassionate care during Paul’s final months, and to the many doctors, nurses, and aides who supported and cared for him throughout a difficult year. They offer special thanks to Debra Cheney, whose tireless dedication helped guide Paul’s care and comfort with grace and devotion.

A memorial service will be held at a later date, when family and friends will gather to celebrate a life lived fully, generously, and with unmistakable spirit.

Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, visit wilkinsonbeane.com.