HAROLD NATHANSON BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Harold Nathanson was born in Lynn, MA on September 11, 1916, the son of a physician. He will be 92 years old on Thursday. He attended OhioStateUniversity and graduated from BostonUniversity with a degree in business. Harold was a first lieutenant in General Patton’s Third Army in World War II, and was injured in the Normandy Invasion of Utah Beach. He rejoined his unit, and was among the troops to liberate the concentration camp at Dachau.
Harold returned to Lynn after the war, and worked briefly at General Electric. He met and married Harriet Finkelstein of Hyannis, who was born in Plymouth and whose family owned the Toabe Hardware Stores in Plymouth, Kingston, Marshfield, Randolph and Hyannis.
Harold and Harriet moved to Plymouth in 1947, and opened Pilgrim Drug with his boyhood friend, Nate Kramer, a pharmacist. The store was located for decades on Main Street in the building now occupied by M&M Sporting Goods.
Harold and Harriet moved to Kingston in 1951, where they raised their two daughters, Judith (of Andover) and Gail (of Hingham). They are proud of their granddaughter, Hannah, Gail’s daughter, who is a sophomore at NYU.
Harold was very involved in community affairs in Plymouth. He served as President of the Rotary Club of Plymouth from 1965-66. When his term was up, Harold arranged speakers for Rotary meetings and also arranged visits to Plymouth by other Rotary clubs and individual Rotary members and their families.
As President of the Plymouth Country Club, Harold negotiated the purchase of the club by its members from Harry Hornblower, and led the Club in the installation of its first underground sprinkler system.
Harold was also active in the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, and was an officer of the Plymouth Home National Bank.
Above all, Harold was always known throughout the community as a kind and supportive friend who brought people together with his gentle humor.
After retirement, Harold and Harriet split their time between Kingston/Plymouth and Venice, Florida. In December 2006, they moved to the Brooksby Village Independent Living Community in Peabody, where he had accompanied his Father on house calls when he was a boy.
Harold says that he doesn’t want to take up any more time by speaking to the Club, but that he is so happy to be back with his friends.
Welcome home, Harold, we’ve missed you!