When Norm Makechnie was a junior in high school, his family moved to Peterborough as a result of his father’s job as director of Boston University’s Sargent Center in Hancock.
Now, he is retiring from Upton & Hatfield as one of Peterborough’s longest-standing lawyers, having worked almost his entire adult life in town.
“I’ve had a wonderful run here,” he said, saying he’ll most miss his clients and fellow lawyers.
Makechnie’s retirement comes at the age of 87, which according to his wife Judy makes him the oldest lawyer in town.
“It’s his dream come true, really,” she said, to live in Peterborough his whole life. “He used to tell me that this was utopia, before I even knew about it.”
After graduating from Peterborough High School in 1951, Makechnie attended Boston University, spent three years in the Army and worked for a summer at the Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island, where he met Judy.
Upon his graduation from law school, also at BU, he had a job lined up with an insurance company in Boston.
“Something was drawing Norm back to Peterborough,” Judy said. “He loved Peterborough.”
According to Judy, he ran into classmate Maurice Blodgett, who told him there was an opening at a Peterborough firm that ended up bearing Makechnie’s name. When that firm closed three years ago, he joined Upton & Hatfield.
Jeffrey Crocker, who joined the firm at the same time, said Makechnie would be very much missed.
“I think when lawyers in this community think of Norman, the first thing that comes to all of our minds is that he is indisputably the dean of the local legal community,” Crocker said, adding that he himself would have been about 10 when Makechnie started practicing law.
Even when they were not at the same firm, Crocker said he thought of Makechnie as someone to aspire to and to call if he needed help.
“If you couldn’t find something, you could call Norm up and describe the kind of statute you were looking for, and he would recite book and page, the statutory reference, right off the tip of his tongue,” Crocker said. “He was painstakingly thorough in his preparation, in his research, his analytical skills.”
But, more importantly, he said Makechnie was a wonderful person to work with.
“No one could approach his professional demeanor,” Crocker said. “Just always calm, methodical, polite, respectful, he’s just really an outstanding attorney and person to work with in every respect.”
Outside of the firm, Makechnie contributed to the community in many ways. He served on ConVal’s first school board, is a member of the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club and has served on the boards of Monadnock Day Care Center and Monadnock Community Hospital. He has also worked with the American Red Cross, and he helped organize and create SKIP (School Kids in Peterborough), the nonprofit childcare organization that provides after-school programming.
“Norm is just one of the finest people I’ve ever known in my life,” said Laura Gingras, who has worked with Makechnie as a fellow member of the Rotary. “Maybe the finest. He could be my No. 1.”
“He just loves being able to give to the community,” said Judy. “He’s been so many things.”
Crocker directed some of the credit to Judy, as well.
“They’re just good people and good citizens,” he said. “It might sound very corny to say it, but I feel like if people were a little bit more like Norman and Judy, the world would just be a nicer and better place.”
In his retirement, the Makechnies said that they intend to stick around Peterborough, in addition to some plans that COVID-19 has disrupted – traveling to see their grandchildren, for example.
“It’s a lot to look forward to,” Judy said. “It’s very bittersweet.”
“The sign said it’s a good down to live in,” said Norm. “And it is. And it’s been a wonderful place to raise children. It’s been all I hoped for.”