Henry Exton Wirch

Henry Exton Wirch (2007-2024) died peacefully in his home in Bedford, NH on December 10th at age 17. He was surrounded by his family and two very dedicated golden retrievers, all of whom loved him very much. Just seven months beforehand, it was suddenly discovered that Henry had metastatic solid-tumor cancer in his abdomen. The remarkable care and dedication of his oncology team at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute were able to prolong his life beyond what initially seemed possible, but his rare BRAF-mutated cancer was very aggressive.

Henry was born on April 27th, 2007, in Boston, MA, and spent the first eight years of his life living in Cambridge, MA before moving half a mile to an old house in Somerville just outside of Davis Square. He and his family lived there for five years before moving to Bedford, NH where he lived for the last four years of his life. Henry had enjoyed living in the city, where public transportations systems, museums, people, and the constant construction were all very stimulating, but he also loved living in New Hampshire, where he often met up with friends to enjoy some of his favorite activities: skiing, hiking, riding bikes and any available water sport. Henry was a great skier and a good sailor. He got himself a job and a driver’s license as soon as each was legally possible (ages 14 and 16 respectively). This ability to embrace life and make himself happy in diverse situations was one of Henry’s strongest personality traits. He attended overnight camp in the woods of Maine starting at age 10, he worked at Market Basket for three years, he went on and helped pay for three international trips with chaperones and other kids, and from the time he was a baby, he would try any food from any culture. Henry loved a new experience and a chance to meet new people and those qualities coupled with his respectful nature and his interest in talking to people of any age would have gotten him far in life. Henry enjoyed math and was hoping to attend college for engineering.

Henry is survived by his younger brother, Conrad Perry Wirch and his parents, Eric Warren Wirch and Jane Baldwin Pollock Wirch. He will be cremated and buried near family in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA.

SERVICES: A memorial gathering will be held on Sunday, December 15, 2024 from 3 – 5 p.m. at Phaneuf Funeral Homes & Crematorium, 243 Hanover Street, in Manchester, NH.

Doctor Ben Schlechter is the Dana Farber Cancer Institute Oncologist and Harvard Medical School Instructor who dedicated unimaginable care, knowledge, time and research to helping Henry Wirch. For anyone who feels strongly about donating to charities, Dr. Schlechter's research fund link is and will remain the Wirch family preferred charity.

 https://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/goto/benschlechter

Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium assisted the family with arrangements. To view an online memorial, leave a message of condolence, or for more information please go to https://phaneuf.net/