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Richard P. Symmes Obituary

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Richard P. Symmes

Lynn, MA

August 27, 1926 - October 14, 2021

Richard P. Symmes Obituary

Richard Perry Symmes died peacefully on October 14 in Danvers, MA at the age of 95.    Richard is survived by his children, Connie Ross (Larry) of Marblehead, Wendy Mayer (Jeff) of Swampscott, and Merry Tufts (Dana) of Marblehead. He is also survived by a stepbrother, Stephen Stiles (Kathy) of Salem, MA, a sister-in-law, Sally Faulks (Robert) of Tonawanda, NY, a brother-in-law, William Wells Jr. (Bonnie) of Getzville, NY, a former sister-in-law, Carol Dombrowski(Chester) also of Getzville, NY, and cousins Daivid Symmes of Topsfield, MA, and Allan Symmes of Groveland, MA. Dick was preceded in death in 2020 by his dear wife, Virginia Wells Symmes, both his parents, a stepbrother, David Stiles, loving relatives of Hampton, NH and Saugus, MA, and many longtime friends.    Richard was born on August 27, 1926 in Lynn, MA to Harold Perry Symmes, and Adeline Stevens Symmes, who later became Adeline Fuller (Howard). His father also later married Pat Stiles Symmes. Dick graduated from Swampscott High School in 1944, not before enlisting in the United States Navy before he was technically old enough, and certainly NOT with his mother’s permission! Thankfully for his family, he reached the Far East just as the war ended then returned safely home, leaving the Navy in 1946. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, Dick met and married Ginny in 1950. Through the first half of the ‘50’s, the couple welcomed three daughters into their home, which was first in Swampscott, and then, from 1963 on, in their beloved town of Marblehead on Pickwick Road.    Dick enjoyed the family he built with Ginny. Having three daughters was not so hard for a fishing and hunting man. He simply got involved by getting he and Connie a dog, teaching Connie fishing, and eventually, doing many loving things like pitching in on girl scout activities, and expertly painting the hockey cheerleading megaphones for Wendy and Merry over and over again. Many nights at the dinner table ended with Algebra lessons(“If a train left Buffalo going 50 mph, how many hours until it pulled into Boston, MA, however many miles away, using salt and pepper shakers to demonstrate), only Connie inherited his love of numbers. His fish “chowdah” every Friday night with the Hoitts before going to a Marblehead Hockey game was a crowd pleaser, and his massive vegetable garden is still the envy of the neighborhood! In the later years, he loved his birds at the birdfeeder, he enjoyed visits by his “grands” and his “greats,” often seeing Beth and Kim, and exchanging funny cards by mail with his granddaughter, Carly. He and Wendy spent many afternoon hours, going on outings to both local places and NH, doing puzzles, and walking around the Pickwick dead end, and on up to Brook Road. Times in Maine with Merry and Dana were also highlights of his life, and most recently, Connie and Larry lived with him in his beloved home. Along with Ginny, he was truly the foundation of our family. Not many grandchildren can say that they had their grandparents for forty plus years! One granddaughter, Jillian can also say she wrote both a handbook of her grandparents’s garden, and an essay on staying at Grandma and Grampa’s called “ The Lobstah in My Bed!"   Dick’s entire working career was spent at Durkee-Mower, the wonderful Marshmallow Fluff Company in Lynn, MA. The Durkee family became lifelong friends, cohorts of Dick’s in fishing, hunting, and boatbuilding, as well as golf. As Comptroller and then Treasurer of the Durkee-Mower, Dick utilized his skills with numbers and organization. He retired from there in 1987.    Dick spent his leisure time fishing, hunting, bird watching, doting over a Labrador retriever named “Penny,” Cats named “Morgan,” and “Merlin,” and later a Maine Coon Cat named “Beau.” He was an avid golfer at Tedesco Country Club along with Ginny, serving on many boards and serving as club secretary, and they were also active with the Badminton Club there. He was proud to mentor Brad and Roger, enjoying their success and love of golf they inherited from him and their “Grumpy,” Ed Trufts. He taught Roger to fish and to love all things on the water. He was a member of the Swampscott Beach Club, a bowler, a bridge player, and a loyal alum of his Swampscott High School class. An avid collector of duck decoys and Canton China, he dotingly put a red ribbon on each wooden duck in the house at holiday time!    One of Dick’s greatest legacies was introducing the family to Island Falls, Maine, a late 19th-century retreat of Teddy Roosevelt, that Dick and his father discovered (“on a stormy night”) while looking for lodging on a hunting trip in 1936. Dick visited Island Falls and Pleasant Lake yearly since he was a boy, and there is still a photo of 13-year-old Dick with a trophy fish on the wall at the Birch Point lodge to this day, a photo his great-grandkids will point out to any onlooker eating dinner nearby. His family is lucky to continue the tradition of visiting Island Falls many times each year. There is NEVER a dull moment down Maine at Lab Lodge.    Dick was an active and loyal member of the First Church in Swampscott, and along with Ginny at his side, he spent many years running the silent auction at the holiday fair and at the Habitat For Humanity Food Fair. He served on many church boards, and it was one of his favorite places to hang out with Rev. Craig, Rev. Dean, or Pastor Ian, and secretaries Georgette, and then Cathy.    He was especially proud of each of his grandchildren; Bethany Ross (Tony Murphy), Bradford Tufts (Laura), Kimberly Ross Kramer (Alex), Carly Rockstroh Mitchell (Art), Jillian Tufts Lewis (Stephen), and Roger Perry Tufts (Jennifer); his step grandchildren, “Chip” Ross (Kimberly), and Kimberly Mayer Duhanyan (Sako); his great grandchildren, Kiley Lewis, Maxwell Murphy, Adeline Perry Tufts, Harper Lewis, Quinlan Murphy. Jack Tufts, Madeline Mitchell, and Peter Kramer; and his four step great grandchildren, Courtney and Lauren Ross, and Brayden and Olivia Duhanyan, He also leaves many nieces and nephews, and their children.    Dick’s friends of many years, Jeanne and Alec Hose, Sue and Dick Murray, Becky and Fred Robinson, Priscilla and Don Fullerton, Don and Nancy Durkee, Caroline and Bruce Hoitt, Jackie Sumski, Noel Connolly, Herb Stackhouse, George Southwick, Barbara and Art Townsend, the Edwards Family of Island Falls, ME, and longtime neighbors on Pickwick gave hime many happy moments of laughter and good times. He has truly left a great legacy of being a good and decent man, and a loyal friend.     The family would like to thank caregivers Enovis, Amani, Sammy, Sarah, Nikki, Gladys, and all others who helped us. We are very grateful for your love for our Mom and Dad, and our whole family.     A private service will be scheduled at the Chapel at Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead, MA in late November to celebrate Dick’s life, as well as Ginny’s Pastor Ian Holland will officiate.   In lieu of flowers, please send memorial gifts to the First Church in Swampscott, 40 Monument Avenue, Swampscott, MA 01907, or the National Audubon Society, 60 Pineland Drive, # 209, New Gloucester, ME 04260. For online guestbook, please visit ww.solimine.com

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