Worthington, MA – Peter Charles McLean, 90, of Worthington, died peacefully on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Northampton, surrounded by family and friends.
Born July 12, 1936, in Holyoke, son of the late Peter G. and Isabelle (Kettell) McLean, Pete grew up in South Hadley and graduated from South Hadley High School in 1954. He served in the U.S. Army as a cartographer in Heidelberg, Germany, where he first fell in love with gliding, then went on to earn his BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and his MFA from Syracuse University.
Pete had a rich and imaginative life. For more than three decades he taught at the Hartford Art School of the University of Hartford, where he co-founded the Experimental Studio Program and retired as Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts. A prolific artist best known for his large charcoal drawings, he showed his work in more than 100 exhibitions in the United States and Europe. He made his radio debut on Hawaiian guitar at age 10 and later played dobro with the Western Massachusetts band Old Country Road. He designed and built a number of houses with his friends, the “Wack-em-up” crew, starting with his home in Worthington. He was also a longtime glider pilot, soaring over Mount Greylock in Bluebird, his beloved vintage Schweizer sailplane.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Helen “Lene” (Beaudin) McLean; his children, Kristen McLean (Russell), Peter McLean Jr. (Pam), and Rebecca Joyner (Wyn); his grandchildren, Briana Haskell (Joe) and Caleb Mofsky-McLean; and his great-grandson, Kaiden Haskell. His circle of friends and extended family is vast.
A celebration of life will be held on the family property in summer 2027, with details to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Hilltown Community Ambulance Association, the Highland Ambulance EMS Service, the Worthington Fire Department, and the Peter McLean Fund at the University of Hartford.
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