Henry Parker Hirschel

DEERFIELD - Henry Parker Hirschel, 78, of Deerfield, MA passed away peacefully on September 12, 2025. He grew up in Boston and graduated from Boston Latin School in 1966 and attended The University of Massachusetts (UMASS) at Amherst graduating with the class of 1970. 

During the National Science Foundation’s Operation Deepfreeze 73 he worked for six months as a field assistant at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Returning from Antarctica he settled on Cape Cod. After five years employment at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) as an ordinary and able-bodied seaman he sat for his Third Mates license examination and sailed as a deck officer on WHOI’s Oceangoing ships RV Knorr and RV Oceanus. 

In 1984 he joined the Steamship Authority sailing as a first-class pilot aboard their last actual steam-propelled ship and later as Captain of the Motor Vessel Martha’s Vineyard until his retirement at age 62. After re-settling in Deerfield, MA he became a part-time instructor in the Dept. of Physics and Astronomy at Amherst College, where during the five-week interterm sessions from 2007 through 2018 he taught celestial navigation. 

Henry was well known in the Amherst community where he was a frequent member of the ‘Amherst Coffee Shop Crew’. He was a man of dignity and moral integrity with a wonderful sense of humor, a thirst for knowledge and a passion for exploration. He was also a quiet and unassuming philanthropist contributing generously to Amherst College and to UMASS Stockbridge School of Agriculture in addition to frequent and often anonymous contributions to various individuals in the Amherst community. 

He is pre-deceased by his parents Henri and Marian (Parker) of Westwood, MA and his sister Denise of Beacon Hill, Boston. Henry leaves his life partner of 28 years, Janeen Quintal, her six sisters, and their multiple children and grandchildren. A celebration of his life will take place in Amherst at a later date. In memory of Henry, please consider contributing to the ALS Association www.als.org

Arrangements are under the care of Kelly Cremation & Funeral Care, 154 Lincoln Street, Worcester.