Harold C. "Hal" Greenlaw

Harold Clayton Greenlaw, of Marlborough, died at home on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, surrounded by his family and loved ones after a hard-fought battle with glioblastoma.

He was born in Boston on September 18, 1959, a son of the late Robert and Barbara (Oxner) Greenlaw, and had been a lifelong resident of Marlborough.

He is survived by his wife, Audrey (Coen), his son, Coen Greenlaw, his daughter Kate Fitzgerald (Brendan), and his eagerly awaited granddaughter, Margo, due in Spring, 2027.

Hal also leaves behind his siblings: Christine Wiggin and her husband Richard, Mark Greenlaw and his wife Debra, Bonnie Marra and her husband Anthony, and Russell Greenlaw and his wife Katherine, as well as many nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.

Hal shared a close bond with Audrey’s immediate family, including his sister-in-law Pamela Coen; brother-in-law Ned Coen and his wife, Sue; sister-in-law Beth Cormier and her husband, Dave; and brother-in-law William Coen. Dave and Beth were paramount to Hal’s family throughout the years. To Hal, their children Marnie Cormier and DJ Cormier were considered to be an extension of his own children.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his good friend and brother-in-law Thomas Coen.

Together, they spent many years celebrating holidays on Barrett Road, soaking up the sun at Bass River, and making treasured memories during summers on the Cape. And, of course, there were occasional casino trips. Though Hal wasn’t a big gambler, he loved watching Audrey’s and Beth’s eyes light up at the slot machines, Kate win big on a single dollar, and Coen put his seemingly endless luck to work.

Hal graduated from Marlborough High School in 1977 with a passion for football. That passion landed him a scholarship to play Division 1 with Northeastern. There, he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1989 in Mechanical Engineering. A few years later, his sister Christine set him up on a blind date with Audrey where they quickly fell in love. They got married in 1993 and Hal went back to school and earned his Master of Business Administration in 1999 from Nichols College. Hal loved engineering and traveled the world pursuing a career with Bose for almost thirty years before retiring in 2020.

Hal was a true engineer who could fix anything he put his mind to, sometimes like MacGyver, and always brilliantly. He loved taking things apart just to put them back together. His love for football never faded and he’s seen every Patriots game multiple times. He is and will always be one of their biggest fans. Hal loved working out, caring for his plants, and spending time outdoors. In his early years, he enjoyed white water rafting. He was a phenomenal cook who cherished a family dinner and made a meal on every holiday for his loved ones.

Above all his passions, the thing he loved the most was his family. Hal was known for always picking up a phone call, showing up when you needed him, and never being far behind his wife, Audrey. The two of them did everything together. They shared a love for good wine, solving puzzles, playing Words with Friends, and they did Wordle together every morning. His favorite place in the world was sitting on the beach next to her and his family. He loved swimming in the ocean and one year he made sure to swim at least one time for every month of the year - and he did it. If there was one thing absolutely certain about Hal it’s that he always kept his word.

He loved talking to his son about anything Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, superheroes, or the latest action movie or TV show. The two shared an intellectual curiosity and could spend hours discussing their favorite stories, characters, and ideas. He passed his love of cooking on to his daughter. She idolized him, following in his footsteps by also earning a Master in Business Administration. She always wanted to be just like her dad. Hal was the definition of a great father, husband, friend, uncle, brother, and person. He loved his wife and lived for his children. He deeply cherished his dog, Parker, who passed away in July of 2025 and adored his new puppy, MJ, that joined the family in May of 2026. His loved ones find comfort knowing that Parker greeted him when he passed.

He stood strong and proud at 6ft 4inches tall and thought of himself as Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. As tough as he looked, he was far from that. On the inside he was a gentle, kind man who loved his family and friends deeply. His wife Audrey was a nurse for over thirty years and he never forgot National Nurses Day. Every year, without hesitation, Hal would send an Edible Arrangement to his wife and her coworkers. We all saw him for who he was and we will miss him forever. We love you, Dad.

Family and friends will honor and remember Hal's life by gathering for an Evening Wake in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Thursday, October 29th from 4 to 7 p.m.  His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, October 30 at 11 a.m. in Immaculate Conception Church, 11 Prospect Street, Marlborough. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Marlborough.