Douglas Hood MacGregor

Lebanon, N.H. — Douglas Hood MacGregor, 78, died Monday, Jan. 30, 2017, at Lebanon Center, Genesis, where he had lived for eleven months with bladder cancer and Parkinson’s Disease. Born in Boston on Jan. 19,1939, to Alexander Gray MacGregor and Vera (Lenander) MacGregor, he moved with his parents to Tilton, N.H., in 1941. In 1957 he graduated from Tilton-Northfield High School, where he managed the basketball team, pitched on the baseball team, and led the cross country team to two state championships.   He went to UNH and had a fine running career and was known as the Flying Scot. While he was there, he met Olive Swan in his biology classes. After he graduated, he taught high school science and history and started the cross-country team at Sanborn Seminary in Kingston. He moved to Lebanon in 1964, beginning a 35-year career teaching junior high science and coaching intramural sports. He and Olive were married on July 10, 1965, in Exeter, N.H., and lived in West Lebanon for three years before moving to Lebanon, where they had their son Paul in 1968 and Karen in 1972. 

When he was 39, he took up running again after 17 years away from the sport and was among the top runners in New England in the 50 and 60 year old age groups. He was elected to halls of fame for running at UNH and at the New England 65 Plus Running Club.

Very concerned about environmental issues, he served on the Lebanon Conservation Commission, helped to start recycling in Lebanon, and belonged to the Sierra Club. He also belonged to the Lebanon Historical Society and attended the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Upper Valley(UUCUV).

For fifteen years after retirement he worked part-time as a custodian for the Lebanon School District and the Lebanon Libraries. He loved watching New England sports and ran the clock for Lebanon High basketball games for many years. He especially enjoyed going to activities of his children and grandchildren. He also enjoyed gardening, x-c skiing, snowshoeing, walking, traveling, reading, getting together with friends and family, and talking with his many former students when he ran into them. 

He leaves his wife of 51 years, Olive, of Lebanon; son, Paul MacGregor (Heidi) of Littleton, Mass., and their sons, Andy and Thomas; daughter. Karen MacGregor of Tilton, N.H. and her son, Nathaniel Wilson; two sisters-in-law, Barbara Crossman and Betsy Swan; and five cousins.

In lieu of flowers, Doug preferred that any donations be sent to the Grafton County Senior Citizens Council, 10 Campbell Street, Lebanon, NH 03766; UUCUV, 320 Route 5 South, PO Box 1110, Norwich, VT 05055; or the Lebanon Public Libraries Foundation, 80 Main Street, West Lebanon, NH 03784.

Calling hours will be 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ricker Funeral Home in Lebanon on Friday, Feb. 3, and a memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Route 5 in Norwich at 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 4. Burial will be in the MacGregor plot in the Park Cemetery in Tilton at a later date. Messages of condolence may be expressed with the family through an online guestbook by visiting www.rickerfuneralhome.com.