Patriot Ledger - Quincy, MA

Motorcycle accident cuts short a determined life

By RHIANNON VARMETTE
The Patriot Ledger

PLYMOUTH - Peter Leahy knew a lot about living a full life. He had survived two kidney transplants, the first from his father and the second from Robin, his wife.

Peter and Robin married 2½ years ago. They exchanged vows in the hospital the same day she gave him one of her kidneys.

Peter Leahy survived his kidney problems, but a motorcycle accident Monday cut his life short at 43.

Police said Leahy was traveling west on White Horse Road near Vinebrook Road when he swerved into oncoming traffic, colliding with a 1995 Audi driven by Shirley Fitzpatrick, 67, of Newton. Leahy was pronounced dead at the scene.

His wife remembered Leahy as a good husband yesterday.

Leahy loved motorcycles, his children and - as he said in the personal ad through which he met Robin - he loved taking long walks on the beach.

Seven years ago, Robin noticed Peter’s ad in The Patriot Ledger and decided to call him.

‘‘It said he was sincere and liked long walks on the beach and that he was a shy guy,’’ Robin said.

They went out to eat often, strolled Plymouth’s shores and shared a passion for motorcycling.

‘‘He loved motorcycles,’’ Robin said. ‘‘He had a 1983 Honda V45 Magna. We rode everywhere - New York, Vermont, Virginia.’’

Peter Leahy became a support member of the cycling group Women on Wheels when Robin joined and was involved with an online group that took motorcycle trips together.

‘‘We spent a lot of quiet time together at home, too. He liked that,’’ Robin said.

Leahy was an electronics engineer at Kurzweil Music Systems in Waltham, a company that makes electronic pianos.

He had two children: Anthony, 17, and Crystal, 14. Robin has three children: Amanda, 17, Samantha, 16, and Robert, 14.

‘‘He was a really good father,’’ said Leahy’s sister, Terry Chase of Rockland. ‘‘He did everything with them. He always encouraged Tony’s music.’’

Robin said she and Peter grew close to each other’s children. Her daughter Amanda had a baby girl, Kaylee, on Sunday.

‘‘We were all one big family,’’ Robin said.

Peter Leahy grew up in Braintree with two brothers and a sister. One brother, Tim, died of kidney failure four years ago. The other brother, John, lives in Wakefield.

‘‘He was very intelligent,’’ said John Leahy, Peter’s father. ‘‘He graduated from Blue Hills Regional (Technical High School in Canton), he played in Little League, was in Boy Scouts. He was never any trouble.

‘‘Peter had kidney problems all his life. I gave one of mine to him, then Robin gave him the other. I tried to talk him out of motorcycles but it didn’t work. He loved it and had a lot of friends in it,’’ his father said.

Joe Thorne of Newport, Conn., one of Leahy’s friends from the online motorcycle group, described Peter as a cautious driver. Thorne was shocked to find out his friend had died in an accident.

‘‘His motorcycling was only a small part of his life. He was a great family man; he was so proud of his family,’’ Thorne said.

‘‘Pete was a very caring individual. Even if he didn’t know you, if you had a problem he would help,’’ Thorne said.

Rhiannon Varmette may be reached at rvarmette@ledger.com.