83, of Hudson, New Hampshire, and Orwell Cove, P.E.I., passed away on Wednesday, June 10, 2009, at home, surrounded by his family.
Born September 6, 1925, in Lorne Valley, P.E.I., son of the late Kimpton and Marion (Ferguson) McGrath. On July 4, 1941, at the age of 15, he and his mother along with six siblings emigrated from Prince Edward Island to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to join his father, a U.S. citizen, who was employed in the Boston area.
During the Second Word War at age 18 he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served in the 78th Infantry Lightning Division stationed in Germany. He fought in three major battles beginning with the Battle of the Bulge. His division then captured and secured the vital Schwammenauel am, intact, which prevented the German forces from flooding the river valley which would have prevented the advancement of U.S. forces. His unit then moved on to capture the last bridge crossing the Rhine at Remagen which marked the beginning of the final phase of the war. After they crossed the Rhine, the 78th Division played an important role in the collapse of the Ruhr pocket allowing the capture of a large group of German troops trapped within. He was awarded the Victory Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Theater Campaign Ribbon, and the European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon. In 1946 he was honorably discharged as a Disabled Veteran.
Doug was a retired Boilermaker of The Boilermakers Union, Local 29 of Boston, MA. In 1959 he was working at the Power Plant in Bow, NH, when there was an explosion causing him to suffer third degree burns of his face, arms, and hands. After a lengthy recovery he opened Doug\'s Fruit and Vegetable Stand in Hudson which he operated for 10 years and where he worked seven days a week, 12 hours each day. He then returned to boiler work until his retirement in 1988.
He was a member of the Macedonian Lodge AF and AM 8th Masonic District. In 2007 he received his veteran medal signifying 50 years of membership. He was an accomplished furniture maker, all-around handyman, and self-taught musician who crafted several guitars, mandolins and fiddles.
He and his companion Jean were well known on Prince Edward Island for their dancing where they attended several ceilidhs every week over the past 20 years.
He was extremely generous to his family and friends and he was always lending a hand to anyone needing help whether it was to rebuild a motor, design and construct a cabinet, or to fix anything that needed repair.
He was predeceased by his wife, Helen S. (MacEachern) MacGrath; a sister, Evelyn Terrio; and four brothers: Elliot, Charles, Robert, and Kenneth McGrath. He is survived by four children: Marilyn and Gary of Hudson, Robert and his wife Susan of Nashua, and Kenneth and his wife Hilary of Milford, NH; seven grandchildren: Matthew and Adam of Hudson, Stacey of New Haven, Connecticut, Scott and Lauren of Nashua, and Colin and Leslie of Milford; his long-time and loving and devoted companion, Jean MacPhee of Montague, P.E.I.; his sisters: Jean MacLeod of Brockton, MA, Marion Nolan of Norwood, MA, Lillian McGrath of Hyde Park, MA and Annabel McKay of Foxboro, MA.; his brother, Sterling McGrath of Norton, MA; his cousins, whom he considered as siblings, Annabel Crane, Joan McGrath, Jane Parker, Heath McGrath and Alton McGrath, all of Prince Edward Island; several nieces, nephews, cousins and a multitude of friends.
Resting at Ferguson\'s Montague Funeral Home from where the service will be held in the funeral home chapel on Friday at 2 p.m. Interment in the Lorne Valley Cemetery. Visitation: Thursday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. If so desired, memorials to Lorne Valley Cemetery Fund or to the Wounded Warrior Project would be appreciated. www.fergusonsfh.com

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