Obituary of Donald Charles Richards

Donald C. Richards, 81, of Laconia, N.H., formerly of Peabody, MA and Scranton, PA, passed away on June 17, 2016 after a long illness. He was a devoted and beloved husband who shared 60 years of marriage with Connie (Stankiewicz) Richards. He was the son of the late Ruth (Richards) Butler and John Butler, and the adopted son of his loving grandmother Myrtle (VanHorn) Richards. Don was born in Scranton PA, on July 7, 1934 and graduated from the Milton Hershey Industrial School where he earned his Journeyman Electrician license. He entered the US Air Force in 1955 where he served as an Air-born Radar Observer on the RC121 Super Connie which flew the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Bermuda. He later became a Process engineer at Ventron (later Morton International) in Danvers Ma. He retired in 1995 after 32 years with the company. He also served as an Essex County Sheriff. A devoted father, Don was active in many youth activities and sports with his four sons. He was instrumental in the forming of the Royals football team which was the start of the Peabody Youth Football League. Don enjoyed motorcycling and made frequent trips with family and friends across the Northeast and Canada. He also loved flying and earned his private pilots license. In his retirement, he enjoyed many trips to far flung places with his wife Connie from whom he was inseparable. Upon retirement they moved to Laconia, their very favorite vacation destination. Always active in the community, Don provided years of service and leadership with the Weirs Action Committee, the Weirs Community Park Association, and served 18 years on the Laconia City Planning Board. The planning and construction of the Weirs Community Park was his proudest community contribution. In addition to his wife Connie, Don is survived by their four sons: Jeffery and his wife Linda of Middleton, MA; Jon and his wife Rosemary of Frisco, TX: Mark and his wife Linda of Raymond, NH, and Scott and his wife Ann Marie of Haverhill, MA; seven grandchildren; Keith and Carly Richards of Middleton, MA; Kathryn and Kelly Richards of Frisco TX; Ryan and Nicole Richards of Haverhill, MA; and Tyler Secorsky of Raymond, NH; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. A visitation will be held on Thursday, June 23, 2016 from 4:00 until 8:00 PM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral home at the 82 Lynn St., Peabody facility. His funeral will be held on Friday at 9:00 AM from the Funeral Home followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Ann’s Church, 140 Lynn St., Peabody at 10:00 AM. Burial will be in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peabody. In addition, a celebration of Don’s life will be held at the Weirs Community Hall in Laconia on Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 1:00 PM.