Peter W. Gallaudet

Peter W. Gallaudet Jr. passed away peacefully on the morning of January 12 surrounded by his family and loving friends. He was born on March 19, 1978 in Washington, D.C., and diagnosed early on with Cerebral Palsy. At the age of 27, his mother, who devoted her life to caring for him, became critically ill. Residing with her in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, he moved to a state-operated group home in Clinton, Massachusetts in June, 2006 where he continued to live until his death. Since 2000, he had attended a day program sponsored by the Seven Hills Foundation at Fort Devens. Additionally, he enjoyed swimming at the Greendale YMCA pool. His father took him out on an overnight on a bi-weekly basis for twenty-five years and, when he was able, to the beach for a week on the Maine coastline. He was an enthusiastic seeker of his environment; respite care workers took him out on ventures to department stores where he had favorite places to go, to the movies, to the mall for a walk and to special events surrounding the holidays. Unable to communicate verbally, nevertheless, he found joy with those around him. We are forever grateful to the staff at his group home and Dayhab program who devoted themselves to his well-being. His laugh was infectious, and, though it was not always clear what he found so funny, his cheeriness uplifted everyone around him.

The great-great grandson of Edward Miner Gallaudet, the founder and president of Gallaudet University, he leaves behind his father and step-mother, Peter and Anne Gallaudet from Scarborough, Maine; his sister, Mary Langdon Hamilton from Swampscott, Massachusetts; and his step- sisters, Victoria Hougham from Silver Spring, Maryland, and Aislinn White from Cape Elizabeth, Maine and 8 nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his mother, Inger Shaw (NEE Mary Remington Shaw).

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in his memory to Seven Hills Foundation, 81 Hope Ave. Worcester, MA 01603. Burial will be at the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, CT on Friday January 16, 2026. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Philbin-Comeau Funeral Home Online condolences may be placed at www.philbincomeaufh.com.