Henry A. Tragert

Henry Allan Tragert, 93, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 23, 2026 surrounded by his family. Recently of Byfield, he had resided in Middleton with his family for 45 years. Henry is survived by his seven children: Anne Cote of Middleton; John and Kathy Tragert of Naples, ME; Chris Tragert of Middleton; Robert and Leslie Tragert of Ipswich; Mary Toropov of Hull; Matthew Tragert of Byfield; and Joseph and Bernadine Tragert of Ipswich. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by Mary (Mangan) Tragert, his beloved wife of 66 years; his parents, Wilhelm and Mary Tragert; and his brother, William Tragert.

Hank was born and raised in Brooklyn and was graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. After college he served as a Lieutenant in the US Army Corps of Engineers and then worked for over 40 years in the turbines business at General Electric. He was a dedicated GE man for his entire career, working from GE’s plants in Schenectady and Lynn. He ultimately became a project manager on power generation projects in the US and Middle East, and he oversaw a large portion of GE’s US Navy work, including power systems on the USS Abraham Lincoln and several submarines. Ever the engineer, Hank was at his best building, fixing or developing solutions to problems that he encountered. As a father he was a patient counsellor on all challenges big and small, from swapping out a bad electrical outlet to fixing a broken motor or giving career advice.

Hank was a dedicated public servant and civic leader. He served as a Selectman, a member of Planning Board, and finally as Moderator for many years in Middleton. He was a fixture in town affairs and the Henry Tragert Town Common in Middleton is named in his honor. He was a keen student of history. He and Mary lived in the Joseph Fuller House, built in 1710, and he devoted much of his time to renovating the house and making the property into a welcoming home and focal point for the entire extended family over the years. He also served as President of the Middleton Historical Society. In later years one of his favorite jobs was to write the captions for the Society’s annual calendar. Henry and Mary were the driving force behind the Tragert Historical Documents Room at the Flint Public Library in Middleton, and the Tragert Landmark Trail through downtown Middleton is so named in recognition for his role in preserving Middleton history.

Hank was a multi-faceted leader, a skilled engineer, an experienced manager, a gifted orator, a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend to many. He was a source of strength and comfort for his family and his community. Along with his wife, Mary, Henry fathered and nurtured a large and growing family that proudly bears his name across multiple generations. We mourn his passing and celebrate his life with gratitude and love.

Family and friends are invited to a funeral mass for Henry on Oct 24th at St Agnes, Parish, Middleton, MA at 10:30am ( see below ).

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent in Henry's name to the Middleton Historical Society, PO Box 456, Middleton, MA 01949.

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