Peter A. Tarr

Peter Andrew Tarr, 64, of Hancock, passed away at his home on March 25, 2020 after a long and valiant fight with heart failure and Type 1 Diabetes. He never complained about his many health battles, and always strove to be the best person he could be despite them. He was born in Peterborough on August 13, 1955, the son of Stephen A. Tarr and Ruth A. (Jackson) Tarr.

Peter was raised in Hancock and graduated from ConVal High School in 1975. He was a lifelong mechanic. In September 2019 he sadly retired from Hamlin Automotive in Peterborough where he had been employed since they opened in June 2014. Having known and worked with Stephen Hamlin for 18 years, he took great pride and joy in being a loved part of Stephen and Jess Hamlin’s family. Peter had a love and respect for all animals, but a special soft spot reserved for dogs. He would always be sure to share his lunch at work with the “garage dogs” and would usually have at least 2 or 3 sitting at his feet when they heard his cooler open. In his free time, he loved fishing with his wife, although neither were very good at it. A weekend never went by without truck rides with his wife and his dogs, Sarah and Tucker, stopping for munchkins or chicken nuggets treats. He enjoyed puttering in his shed, organizing tools for projects he wanted to start and never did. He enjoyed building radio-controlled cars from scratch and had several models he tinkered with. He was an avid reader and poured through nature magazines and books on New Hampshire’s logging and forestry history. He had a dry sense of humor you either got or you didn’t and was always quick with a pun.  Peter was a big man with a huge heart and small-town values where you worked hard, you looked out for your neighbors and friends, and you loved and cared for your family with everything you had. Peter was exceptional at all of these.

Having lived in Peterborough most of his adult life, in 2004 he returned to the home he was raised in. He was married in 2008 to the love of his life and took great pride in establishing roots and a new family on “the homestead”. Family meant everything to Peter. In addition to his beloved and devoted wife, Darlene (McCaffrey-Fox) Tarr, Peter is survived by his step-daughters Kelsy Fox of Manchester and Hancock, Samantha Fox of Sunbury, PA, his grand-daughter, Calliope Delilah Fox of Manchester, his sister Susan Blanchette and her husband David Blanchette of Hancock, his brother Jeffrey Tarr and his wife Betsy Hardwick of Francestown, his nephew Matthew Tarr and his wife Pamela Tarr of Gilmanton-Ironworks, his niece Willow Murphy and her husband Corey Murphy of Rindge, his nephew Tobias Tarr of Keene, and great-nieces Dominique Tarr and Cailin Tarr. Peter was honored to be called husband, brother, “dad”, uncle, and friend. But he felt truly privileged when he became a “Grumpa”. He will be dearly missed by those who loved him most.

Due to the current social situation, services will be announced at a later time.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Peter’s name to End 68 Hours of Hunger, SAU #1, 106 Hancock Road, Peterborough, NH 03458 or Hancock Fire and Rescue, 40 Bennington Road, Hancock, NH 03449.