Naswa groundskeeper dies after motorcycle crash

LACONIA — A longtime Naswa Resort groundskeeper who was a key assistant to the owners for years died Saturday after being badly injured on May 12 when his motorcycle went out of control and hit a building in The Weirs area, police said Monday.

Killed in the accident was Fred Hallinan, 68, who lived in the home of the resort's 93-year-old owner, Hope Makris, and was the right-hand-man for Hope's late husband, Peter Makris, said the couple's daughter, Cynthia Makris.

"He took care of everything," Cynthia Makris said. "He was part of our family."

She recalled that when her father died, he had a female, 9-month-old chocolate Labrador puppy, named Agape, which means "love," in Greek. 

"My mom was 82 at the time and couldn't walk a rambunctious lab," she said.

Hallinan stayed in the couple's home to take care of the dog while the family was with Peter Makris during his last days at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston in 2007.

When the family came home following the death of Peter Makris, Hallinan opened the door.

"He said, 'I'll take care of Peter's women' and that's what he has done," Cynthia Makris said. "He was my dad's right-hand-man. They were inseparable. He opened the property every spring and closed it every fall.

"I will tell you we've heard from a lot of Naswa alumni to talk about Fred. You never know how loved you are until you are not here. Everybody is saddened and shocked. He was loved by all."

She said Hallinan always liked motorcycles. The Naswa is the official hotel of Motorcycle Week.

Police Chief Matt Canfield said Hallinan was riding his 1982 Yamaha at 4:10 p.m. on the 12th when the motorcycle veered onto the gravel shoulder and hit a structure at 783 Scenic Road, No. 4, Canfield said. Property records show the building as a detached condominium unit.

Hallinan was taken to Lakes Region General Hospital after the accident and then he was airlifted to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, where he died Saturday.

The crash is still under investigation but speed and alcohol were not factors, Canfield said.

Hallinan’s Facebook page shows that he was in the 1968 graduating class at Exeter High School and has worked as a groundskeeper at the Naswa since May 1990.