Richard B Hirsch

He was born on October 28, 1929 in Rock Springs, WY, son of Floyd and Mary Hirsch. After moving to Las Vegas, NV, in 1936 he attended the 5th Street Grammar School. His father was the chief dispatcher for the Union Pacific Railroad and Richard enjoyed growing up in downtown Las Vegas. He also attended the Army and Naval Academy in Carlsbad, CA, as well as a military school in La Jolla and afterwards he served in the U. S. Army stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington. He was selected to guard famous stolen Nazi paintings as they toured the country following WWII.

He was married to the late Gertrude Lequin of Lowell for nearly 63 years. For most of that time they lived in the same house in Sudbury. He was a graduate of Boston University and held a variety of managerial sales and manufacturing positions with Balentine Beer and Ale, Mathatronics, Spacetak and retired from the Raytheon Company.

Always the child at heart, Richard or “Uncle Dick” was known for his many years acting as Santa Claus at Filene’s Department Store as well as Faneuil Hall. Through the years people from 29 countries asked to be photographed with him in his Santa attire.

He was also a member of Screen Actors’ Guild and enjoyed being an extra in various movies filmed around Boston. He will always be remembered for his love of toys and gadgets. He could be found many Christmases playing with his nieces and nephews and helping them to build whatever toys needed assembling.

He was a very accomplished photographer and was famous for sending beautiful photos of the leaves changing every fall in New England. He was the St. Francis of his neighborhood loving all the wildlife in his yard and leaving sunflower seeds on his kitchen window sill and feeding “his” squirrels by hand.

Richard was also a big car buff and loved fast cars. He once drove across the country on the Lincoln Highway in a vintage Porsche with a long-time friend, Larry Carbonara.

He is survived by ten nieces and nephews, Marjorie Sanchez of Las Vegas, NV, Robert Barrett of Dales, OR, Beverly Hamon of Fredericksburg, VA, Claire Smith of Crete, Greece, James Hirsch of Aiken, SC, Philip Hirsch of Perry, NY, Mary F. Hirsch of Olean, NY, Diane Keating of Las Vegas, NY, Patty Schumaker of Green Bay, WI, Kathy Veach Corso of Las Vegas, NV. He is also survived by many loving great nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in the Duckett-J. S. Waterman & Sons Home of Memorial Tribute, 656 Boston Post Road, Route 20, Sudbury.

Burial in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Chelmsford, will be private.

An additional memorial service will be held in Las Vegas, NV, in the fall.