Richard Whitmore

Dick was born on December 17, 1938 in Portland. He attended local Portland schools across the city and graduated from Portland High School in 1956 where he was an exceptional basketball player and captain of the baseball team. While at PHS, Dick met the love of his life Theresa (Mangino) Whitmore. They’ve been together since their first date at the PHS Emerald Ball. They went on to marry in 1960 and didn’t leave each other’s side for the next 61 years. He would often speak fondly of his summers on Great Diamond Island. He attended the University of Maine at Orono and later went on to get his master’s degree. He would tell stories of the long car rides back and forth to Orono in his not so dependable vehicles. He served in the military in Korea 1957-58 and was recalled in 1961.

Together, Dick and Theresa had three children. Family was everything to him. His whole life revolved around them. He worked extremely hard to provide for his family. As the children were older along came their spouses, his seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was in his element when he was with all of them. When his first grandchild, Jon, arrived, Dick would always call him his little Buddy. Jon picked up on it and started to call Dick Buddy. Well, the name stuck. From then on, he was known to his grandchildren by this endearing term, Buddy. Dick fully embodied this term. He became their biggest fan. He found joy in watching his grandchildren participate in extracurricular activities and play sports. He even at times could be known as an “enthusiastic” spectator. Dick not only had an impact on his family, but they had an impact on him. As his family grew, they would take trips together. Dick especially enjoyed when all of them went to Disney World and to Atlantis in the Bahamas. These were trips of a lifetime full of special memories, great fun, and amazing times of laughter.

Dick not only had the affection of his family but he was in the right field for his career. He was very well-respected and liked in the education field during his career in Portland Public Schools. During his final days, the nurse told him he was so kind and easy to talk to. Dick responded that he was just like his great-grandson who said, “I can make friends with anybody!” This was true for Dick too. Throughout his career, Dick made lifelong friends from the history department at Portland High School where he began his teaching career. He also made several life-long friends along the way. He had a great sense of humor and was quite witty. He had a way to reach staff and students. He ended up moving up to Assistant Principal at PHS. He still has many former students flock to him when they see him at different events. He was eventually the principal of Jack Junior High School. Dick was proud of Jack and did some wonderful things for the students at that school. He was known for heading outside to play hoops with the kids. That is if you could get him away from chatting with the great staff that they had at Jack. Dick briefly worked at Lincoln and then had a lengthy career as the Principal of Lyman Moore Middle School. He made that school shine. He really put Moore on the map as a standout school. Dick then progressed up to Assistant Superintendent, which was his final position in Portland Public Schools with the exception of one year as the Acting Superintendent of Portland Schools. He retired in 1996 and went on to work for Rooster Candle and Planet Fitness. Both businesses owned by his children.

Dick loved to play the horse races. He was also into the casino slots, but most importantly, he loved his gardens. He had the most beautiful impatiens garden that he would have strangers stop by to ask him how he did it. He also would stop and talk to anyone walking by. He was still making those connections. He was quite engaging. He always had great advice to offer and if you didn’t think so, he’d let you know. He’d often said, “One of these days, you guys will wish you listened to me.” Often times, they’d end up wishing they had listened to him.

Dick was predeceased by his parents, William and Cecelia (Deetjen) Whitmore; his in-laws, Alphonse and Rose Mangino. brothers, John and William Whitmore. He leaves his wife of 61 years Theresa (Mangino) Whitmore of Portland; sisters, Barbara of Boynton Beach, FL and Sandra Pardi and her husband Guido of Falmouth; two sons, Alphonse and his wife Janet of McLean, Virginia, and William and his wife Lisa of Scarborough; a daughter, Joann Galli and her husband, Gilbert of Portland; seven grandchildren, Jon, Emily, Lauren, Chris, Caroline, Nicholas and Olivia; two great-grandchildren, Landon and Joey; and many nieces and nephews

Family and friends are invited to a time of visitation from 4-7 pm on Monday, March 7, 2022, at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 am on Tuesday, March 8th, at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, 72 Federal St. Portland. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Dick’s online guest book.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516.