Peter Alling

Secor

Peter Alling Secor of Hingham passed away on Nov. 9, 2026 surrounded by family.

Peter was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, on December 24, 1933, to Mary Jeannette and Frank Blessing Secor. He is survived by his daughter, Alicia (Jim) Secor-McGorry and their sons, Jack and Ryan; and his son, Peter (Erica) Secor Jr. and their son, Samuel. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Dorothy Vandergaag Secor, who passed away in 2020. Together, they shared a lifetime of adventures, family, and treasured memories.

In 1957, Peter graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was a member of the Chi Psi fraternity, one of the oldest collegiate fraternities, founded in 1841. He began his career at Bendix Corporation and continued working in the field of engineering for most of his professional life. He was a veteran of the United States Army and came from a family with a strong heritage of service dating back to the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.

Peter met his wife, Dorothy Vandergaag, through the New Jersey Ski Club, and they married on March 5, 1960, on a snowy day before heading to Stowe, Vermont, for their honeymoon. Mahwah, New Jersey, was their home for many years, with summers spent camping on Lake George and winters filled with ski trips to Vermont.

Peter’s passion for life was inspired by all things outdoors. In 1972, the family relocated to Amherst, New Hampshire, where he embraced nature and healthy living with a pioneering spirit. He modeled himself after American naturalists such as Euell Gibbons and Henry David Thoreau. His interpretation of simple living and self-reliance meant a backyard garden filled with every vegetable imaginable, producing harvests to sustain the family through snowy New England winters.

His adventurous spirit led him to continually learn new skills, including fishing, snowshoeing, hunting, backpacking, cross-country skiing, hiking, tennis, composting, and making maple syrup.

Peter loved the ocean and was a self-taught sailor, learning to sail in Cotuit, Massachusetts, where he and Dorothy would eventually retire. He was never deterred by wind or waves and caught the mooring the old-fashioned way, without a motor. The family mantra of “terrible fun” remains a cherished and enduring part of his legacy. Peter and Dorothy enjoyed many years of retirement adventures, touring the country in their RV and expanding their horizons through European river cruises.

Peter’s unconditional love for his family, Yankee spirit, and incredible resilience sustained him in his later years. After surviving months in hospice care, he went on to thrive for years, enjoying daily happy hours with Johnny Walker Red and wine, alongside home-cooked meals that satisfied his refined palate. He never complained and showed those around him how to adapt, persevere, and find grace in life.

Peter enjoyed texting between family visits to stay connected and current on football scores, dinner suggestions, weather forecasts, traffic, and all the everyday details that kept him engaged with those he loved.

Just shy of his 93rd birthday, he will be remembered not only for the many things he accomplished, but for the intentional, simple life he chose to lead. His adventurous spirit, quiet strength, appreciation for nature, and unwavering love for his family remain an enduring testament to his character and the wonderful man he was.

A private celebration of life is planned with family.