Richard H. Erickson
Richard Erickson Obituary
Leominster - Richard H. (Dick) Erickson, 87 of Leominster, passed away after an illness on Sunday December 18 at Leominster Hospital. Dick was born on June 3, 1935 in Gardner Massachusetts to Wilpas V. and Gertrude L (Sylvestre) Erickson. He attended Gardner High School where he played Trumpet in the marching band, a skill he enthusiastically retained well into adulthood, when after a few adult beverages he may take out his trumpet and attempt to play the trumpet solo of one of his favorite tunes “The Carnival of Venice”. He was a U.S. Army veteran and claimed to be a “trained killer” although most of his time in the service was spent as the Company Clerk of the 2nd Army Band” at Fort George G. Meade in Maryland.
He attended Bentley University and obtained a degree in Accounting and shortly thereafter passed the Certified Public Accountant exam earning Massachusetts License #891. He worked most of his career in public accounting starting out at William S. Reagan & Company in Fitchburg. Early in his career he also spent approximately ten years as Controller of Enterprises of Central America, an oil drilling and exploration company with facilities in Panama and Honduras. In the Mid 1970’s he was the Treasurer of Commonwealth Federal Savings and Loan in Leominster. He maintained his own accounting practice from 1978 through his retirement in 2017.
He was a very active member of the Leominster and Westminster Rotary Clubs with many years of perfect meeting attendance. He was President of the Leominster Rotary Club in 1972 and 1973, was Rotary District 791 Treasurer 1974 – 1977 and Secretary 1977-1978. He also served as Vice President of the Leominster Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer of the Leominster Multi-Service Center and the United Fund. He Served as President of the Leominster YMCA and the Central Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Accountants. He served for many years on golf tournament committees for the Nashua Valley Boy Scout Council and Jimmy Fund, both highly successful in raising money for those organizations.
He loved golf and was a past member of Grand View Golf Club and Monoosnock Country Club in Leominster and Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg where he served as Treasurer and made his first of two holes in one on the 8th hole in 1984.
He is survived by his son Keith and his wife Cheryl (Lapointe) of Fort Myers, FL, his daughter Kimberly of Woburn, MA, his grandson Brett Erickson and his wife Tamra of Georgetown, MA, his grandson Brice Erickson and his fiancé Olivia of Nashua, NH and his great-granddaughters Sofia and Emelia who lit up his life in his final years.
Dick was a regular at hockey rinks and baseball fields throughout the region as he rarely missed any of his grandson’s games.
Dick had a quick wit and a “unique” and sometimes biting sense of humor. If he was giving you the needle it meant he was comfortable with you and considered you part of his inner circle. He spent many a late afternoon and evening later in life at his favorite local watering hole, EJ Marrone’s, Cornerstone, The Luxury Box and Slate trading verbal jabs with the other regulars and bartenders.
Of course as many of you know, because until 2004 he had good reason to gloat, Dick was an avid New York Yankees fan. An affliction he was never able to overcome.
Dick’s family would like to thank the staff at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and River Terrace Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center for the care they provided.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations in Dick’s name be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute or the charity of your choice.
Calling hours will be held Tuesday, December 27, 2022 from 10:00 am - 12:00 noon, in Wright-Roy Funeral Home, Inc., 109 West St., Leominster, MA. A Committal service with Military honors will follow at 1:00 p.m. in Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Glenallen Street, Winchendon, MA.
To leave a message of condolence visit; www.wrightroyfuneralhome.com
To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Richard H. Erickson, please visit our Tree Store.