Richard J Cimino Sr.

Richard J. Cimino Sr., award winning energy conservationist, died April 26 at the age of 65 at Treasure Coast Hospice after a long illness. Born October 5th, 1950 in New York, New York to Julie Knorr and Fred Cimino. Among his many awards, he won the Presidential Energy Award in 1976 for his ground breaking work with wind power.

He is survived by his two sons, a grandson, his mother, sister, two daughters-in-law, and wife of twenty-seven years.

The family asks in lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to Treasure Coast Hospice.

Today, April 26, 2016, we celebrate the life and loss of a remarkable man: inventor, scientist, entrepreneur, engineer, builder, mechanical genius, boater, pilot, drag racer and most importantly, father. Richard J. Cimino Sr. lived a full life and outlived the dire prognostications of the medical community by decades. Rich was a General Motors eastern seaboard master technician and was proud to have won many towing awards. He was awarded the Presidential Energy Award by President Jimmy Carter for his groundbreaking work with wind power, was the first person to use methane gas to power complexes while demonstrating to the Army Corps of Engineers that the use of Sand Pipes would be catastrophic.

Rich’s word was his bond and a handshake agreement was binding. He would drop everything to help family or friends alike and he would go out of his way to help the needy. Rich was a family man, preferring to stay at home with his family than carousing with his friends. It was never dull living with Rich, the inventor—his sons experience the screw-in florescent bulbs long before they were mass produced and they filled their bicycle tires with the “inflator” decades before the public had access. His sons had snowmobiles, four-wheelers, go-carts and dune buggies even if he had to build them from scratch. He spent years driving a street worthy car from parts found in an old cardboard box.

Nothing was seen as impossible to Rich and he saw every problem as a solvable puzzle. He loved working with his sons and Rich Jr. and Mike learned mechanical, electrical, plumbing, auto body and building skills while working alongside their father. Rich spent thirty plus years fighting several debilitating illnesses yet he never let them stop him. He often said he used part of his brain for the pain while using the remainder for projects. Vacations were memorable since strange experiences seemed to follow Rich Sr. partially because of his vast knowledge and also his unorthodox thinking. Although we will miss him greatly, we are filled with voluminous memories of life with him.

Arrangements under the direction of Aycock Funeral Home, Port St Lucie, FL.