Richard Carleton Venne

Born in Concord, NH in 1923, he was the son of Lloyd and Doris Venne. He attended Plymouth (State) College and Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He was an athlete, playing basketball and skiing. He was crowned King of the Winter Carnival during his college tenure. He obtained a law degree from Catholic University.

He was in the U.S. Army-Air Forces during the latter days of WWII, where he trained to become a Bombardier. He never quite got over his fear of flying, although he did travel to Ireland with is wife in 1977.

He was one of the youngest State Representatives in the New Hampshire Legislature. He promoted several conservation bills that helped create the NH State Park system.

He married his wife of almost 50 years, Mary Patricia O'Toole Venne, also of Concord, NH, in 1948. They moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked for State Senator Styles Bridges, who was Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations. He had two boys while living in Arlington, Virginia. Both David Patrick and Richard Thomas were born in Georgetown University Hospital in 1949 and 1951.

He and family moved to Boston, MA in 1954, where he worked for NCR (National Cash Register). His twin daughters (Ann Margaret and Ellen Mary) were born in Dorchester, MA in 1955. He moved his family to a new home, built on an old Asparagus Farm in Sudbury, MA, in December 1956, where he remained until December, 2014.

He was a wholesale deli meat salesman for several years, until he started his own cash register sales business that he ran for many years both from his home office and with other business partners. He was also a part-time security guard during his early retirement at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC).

Both Dick and his wife were very involved in town politics for many years. He was Selectman and Chairman of the Board of Selectmen during most of the 1960s. His picture still hangs in the entrance of the Town Hall. He was instrumental in obtaining the coveted "01776" zip code for the Town of Sudbury, passed into law that the elderly could not be evicted for non-payment of property tax after the age of 80, and forced the power company to bury their lines that run through the town center, in order to maintain the colonial atmosphere of the Town Common.

He was an avid reader, conversationalist and gardener. He also enjoyed hiking and walking. He was a kind and giving Christian man, forgiving business debts, giving money to the homeless and very supportive of his family over the years.

He is predeceased by his wife, Mary Patricia (Dec. 1995 at 70), his youngest son, Richard Thomas (August, 2004 at 53) and his oldest son, David Patrick (September, 2006 at 56) and his brother, Lawrence.

His leaves behind his twin daughters, Ann Margaret (MacKenzie) of Big Beach, Cape Breton Island, NS, and Ellen Mary (Lyons) of Mad River, California, his three grandchildren, Erin (Sullivan), Patrick Joseph and Molly Meaghan (Grant) all of Portland, ME, Nicholas of Wellesley, MA. and his great-grandchildren Darian (Sullivan), Daniel and Joseph.

Rest in peace, good father! And remember that we love you!

Visiting hours Friday April 10 from 8:30 to 10:30 AM, interment New North Cemetery, Sudbury.

Arrangements under the direction of Duckett Funeral Home of J. S. Waterman, Sudbury, MA.