Dr. J. Blair Harff, of Watertown, N.Y., died April 20 while working with heavy equipment on his farm. He was 46.

He was a son of Marion and Charles Harff, who have made the Vineyard their summer home for more than 40 years.

While growing up, Blair spent all of his summers at the Vineyard and for several years worked on the grounds crew at the Farm Neck Golf Club.

Born April 13, 1962, in New York city, Blair graduated from Colgate University in 1984 and in 1988 received a doctorate of veterinary medicine from Cornell University. He and his wife, Nina, also a graduate of Cornell University, opened the Animal Doctors’ Veterinary Clinic in Watertown, N.Y., where they collaboratively treated both large and small animals.

His avocation was his farm where he raised cattle and other animals and had extensive gardens. Besides his love for gardening, animals, hunting and the outdoors, Dr. Harff shared a passion for hockey and helping the children of the Watertown community achieve their potential. Together with the YMCA, he was instrumental in developing the highly successful Youth Hockey Learn to Skate Program which gave any child who desired to learn about hockey an introduction to the sport regardless of previous experience, individual talent or economic resources. He not only coached youth hockey, but also served as president of the Watertown Hockey Association from 2004 until this year and as a vice president of the New York State Amateur Hockey Association, Northern Zone.

Survivors include his parents; his wife, Dr. Nina Harff; their three children, Scott, Kayla and Ben; a sister and her husband, Pamela and Bob Daufenbach of Pittsburgh, Pa.; a brother and his wife, Todd and Judy of Barrington, R.I., and their children, April and Amy; and an uncle and aunt, Dr. George and Noreen Harff of Albany, N.Y., and their three children.

Contributions may be made to the Watertown Hockey Association, designated to the Blair Harff Fund, P.O. Box 371, Watertown NY 13601. Blair’s friends hope to carry out his goal of a year-round ice rink to serve the children of the community.