Paul Michael McEachern

1937 - 2020

PORTSMOUTH - Paul Michael McEachern passed away on Tuesday, August 18, 2020, at his home in Portsmouth with his family at his side and the sound of Cape Breton fiddle music in his ears. Born on December 30, 1937, and raised on Stark Street in Portsmouth's Creek Neighborhood, Paul was the second of eight children born to Archibald D. McEachern, a night watchman for the City, and Ann Regan, a homemaker.

Being half Scottish and half Irish, Paul was blessed with a love for all things Celtic, music and art. Along with his siblings, Paul heeded his parents' advice to better themselves through education and put himself through college and law school with house painting and the G.I. Bill. As a member of the New Hampshire Bar for more than 50 years and a past president of its Bar Association, Paul relished nothing better than taking on a tough, uphill fight, usually to the chagrin of his law partners.

Like his father before him, Paul was a lifelong, loyal member of the Democratic Party, committed to justice for people of all creeds, colors and orientations. He was first elected to public office as a young Navy veteran while at the University of New Hampshire, serving in the New Hampshire Legislature, a seat he would return to later in life. He also served as city councilman and assistant mayor for the City of Portsmouth and attended the raucous 1968 Democratic National Convention pledged as a Eugene McCarthy delegate against the Vietnam War. Twice he won the New Hampshire Democratic Party's nomination for Governor. As a trustee of the trust funds for the City of Portsmouth, Paul was instrumental in establishing the Prescott Park Arts Festival and was a lifelong supporter of the arts.

Despite his many professional accomplishments, Paul never strayed far from his working class roots, living all his life close by the City's industrial North Mill Pond, or "the Regan Riviera" as he liked to call it. Much to his family's amusement, Paul phoned Farrell's Funeral Home three days before his death to make his own arrangements for a burial at sea, outside the six-mile limit, demanding of John Leith, the proprietor and a fellow Creek resident, that he be charged full price. Immediately following his death, his sons dressed him in his favorite suit and then laid him out and his siblings came to the house to say their goodbyes before the final ride to Johnny Farrell's.

Paul leaves behind his loving wife Shaun whose care for him in his final weeks amazed all who were privileged to witness. Paul was the proud, loving father of Claire McEachern (Malibu, Calif.), Alec L. McEachern (the Creek), Duncan Archibald McEachern (Paris, France), Deaglan McEachern (the Creek) and Molly Hulefeld (Ipswich, Mass.). He was the even prouder grandfather of Jack McEachern, Cara McEachern, Duncan Michael McEachern, Grace McEachern, Lucas McEachern, Coline McEachern, Helena Mandeville, Marielle Mandeville, Tiernan McEachern, William Hulefeld, Isabelle Hulefeld and Julia Hulefeld. Paul was also extremely pleased to have met his first great-grandchild, Vaughn J. McEachern, who was born just weeks before Paul's passing. Paul is also survived by his siblings Mary Keenan (former Mayor of Portsmouth), John H. McEachern, Duncan Anthony McEachern, William McEachern, Catherine D'Amours and Margaret McEachern. Paul was predeceased by his parents and his brother Raymond J. McEachern.

SERVICES: A public memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2020, at 1 p.m., weather permitting, at the Portsmouth High School athletic field, 50 Andrew Jarvis Drive, Portsmouth, N.H.

Donations in Paul's memory may be made to the Advocates for the North Mill Pond, a New Hampshire non-profit organization, 111 Sparhawk St., Portsmouth, NH 03801, for the commissioning of a granite sculpture in Paul's memory to be located at the newly created Paul McEachern Memorial Park on the banks of the Regan Riviera.