Albert J. Girard, 91

East Providence, R.I.

Albert passed away on May 3, 2018, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Providence to Anna M. (Donovan) and Albert Girard. Albert served in the U.S. Coast Guard during the latter part of World War II, and afterwards was employed by Grinnell Fire Protection Co., a division of Tyco Labs, for 49 years, retiring in 1997. He was District General Manager of the Fire Protection Sales, Installation and Service division of New England. At the end of his career with Grinnell he was charged with designing and installing new fire protection systems for the Marriott Corporation in hotels they’d purchased in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Cairo, Egypt.

An avid sailor, Albert was a member of the Barrington Yacht Club for 48 years. He was also a member of the Newport Yacht Club, the Off Soundings Club, Narragansett Bay Yachting Association and the Twenty Hundred Club. He sailed in the Marion-Bermuda Races of 1977, 1979 and 1981 on a boat with fellow sailors from the Barrington Yacht Club. In 1977 he placed 4th out of 20 boats in Class C, 1st in the Pearson 36 Class, and 16th out of 86 boats finishing. In 1979 his boat placed 3rd in Class C (20 starters), 1st again in the Pearson 36 Class, and 20th out of 112 yachts that finished. In 1981 he was 5th out of 20 in Class D. As a member of the Connecticut Off Soundings Club for 45 years, he sailed in many two-day races in the spring off Block Island, R.I., and in the fall off Long Island, N.Y. In 2012 Albert sailed spring Off Soundings, taking 1st in his division aboard his 37-foot Venture, which was captained by his son. This turned out to be Albert’s last sailboat race.