Folsom Funeral Service

Harlan Robert Pinkham, of Dedham, died on April 2, 2013 at home, with his family, after a battle with brain cancer.  He was 79.  He was born on February 19, 1934 in Framingham, the son of Thomas A. Pinkham, Jr. and Elizabeth R. (Moon) Pinkham.  He grew up in West Roxbury and attended Boston Latin School and Roslindale High School.  He graduated from Boston University and served in the United States Army before joining The Hyde Park Savings Bank (now Blue Hills Bank) where he served his whole career for over 40 years.  He served as the bank’s president for seven years and its chairman and chief executive officer for 18 years before retiring in 1999.  A long-serving trustee of the bank until 2009, he also served on the Board of Directors of The Savings Bank Life Insurance Company of Massachusetts from 1995-2012.  During his career, he was active in the Massachusetts Bankers Association, the Depositors Insurance Fund, the Hyde Park Rotary Club, the Hyde Park YMCA, the Hyde Park Board of Trade and was a member of the Union Club of Boston.  Harlan, along with his wife Barbara Helen (Smyth) Pinkham, was a member of Allin Congregational Church in Dedham.  He enjoyed studying World War II history, was a lifelong skier and enjoyed physical fitness, a challenge he continued to pursue during his illness.  He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his sons Richard of Harrisville, Rhode Island; and Robert, and his wife Margaret, of Needham; and Russell of Charlestown; and his daughter Deborah Pinkham Brooks, and her husband David, of Brunswick, Maine; and eight grandchildren: Derek, John, Elizabeth, William, Eliza, Robert, Matthew and Jenna.  He is also survived by his sister-in-law, E. Marilyn Smyth of Ridgefield, Connecticut; and three nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Thomas A. Pinkham, III.  Visiting hours on Friday April 5th will be from 2-4 PM and 7-9 PM at the Folsom Funeral Home, 649 High Street, WESTWOOD.  The funeral will be held at Allin Congregational Church, 683 High Street, DEDHAM, on Saturday, April 6th at 11:00 AM, and there will be a reception at the Church following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Harlan’s memory to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168 in support of the Adult Brain Tumor program or to Allin Congregational Church.  The interment is private.