Richard , Gagnon F.

Richard F. Gagnon, “Dick,” died peacefully on the morning of February 17 with family by his side. He was preceded in death by the love of his life and wife of 56 years, Mary Teresa Gagnon. Dick spent his childhood in Maine and California, eventually settling in Hartford, Connecticut. He graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1954 and then attended Hartford Regional Tech. After four years in the Air Force, he worked for 37 years at United Technologies Corporation/ International Fuel Cells Division as a Technical Writing Engineer. He was extremely proud of his work, his professional relationships, and his collaboration with Japanese counterparts on some large projects, including the Space Shuttle.

Dick and Terri lived in Wethersfield, Conn., before making their home in Vernon, where they raised their sons, David and Jamie. Terri and Dick never missed any of their sons' sporting events and were also active volunteering in the community. Dick loved the Boston Red Sox and had season tickets for many years at Fenway Park, just a few rows behind the home dugout. Nobody was happier when the Red Sox finally won the World Series in 2004 after not winning it for 86 years – which, as it turned out, was the same number of years Dick would spend on Earth. One of the happiest periods of his life was when his sons played Little League baseball. Dick was actively involved as an assistant coach, never missing a game. He would never tire of hitting fungos to the players to help them practice and improve, especially his son David, who at the time looked like a smaller version of Freddie Lynn in center field. He could hit one perfect fly ball after another; I've never seen anyone do that better. He also loved the New England lakes, especially New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee, where the family spent three weeks each summer for 20 years. Even on his last living day, Dick wore a t-shirt from George's Restaurant, his favorite breakfast spot near the lake. But no matter where Dick spent his time, he was loved by many and always well respected. Dick loved to cook, following every recipe to a T. For quite a few years, he made Thanksgiving dinner for the extended family, happily granting his nieces' and nephews' request for his famous cheesy carrot dish. But there was no food that Dick enjoyed more than a hamburger grilled rare. He loved hot dogs as well, with a requirement that they be served on authentic New England-style split-top buns. One of the happiest moments of Dick's retirement in Florida was when he discovered a store in Punta Gorda that sold those buns. That retirement began in 1996, when Dick and Terri moved to North Fort Myers, close to the Red Sox spring training facility. They attended as many baseball games as they could, played golf at least once a week, and made endless memories with their abundant new friends at Del Tura, a gated country club community in North Fort Myers. With his knack for audio, Dick quickly became the go-to soundman for plays, dances, and other events at Del Tura, managing microphones, speakers, and music. Dick and Terri spent 20 years in Del Tura before deciding to move closer to their sons in the Atlanta area. They spent four years in a wonderful independent-living facility called Creekside Pines in Dallas, GA. After Terri passed away in 2019, Dick moved into assisted living at The Lodge at Aspen, also in Dallas. Dick is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law David and Leigh Anne Shannon Gagnon and James and Monica Gagnon, and his dear granddaughters Addison and Anna. Spending time with the girls was the greatest joy of his life. Just like Terri, Dick will be greatly missed by the Markowski family, the Sullivan family, and the extended Gagnon family, including his late brother Jack's wife, Pearl Gagnon, and multiple nieces and nephews. He will also be greatly missed by his visiting angel Jessica Thomason, who cared for him and brightened every day over the last few years. Jessica is beloved as an honorary member of the Gagnon family. She shared these profoundly kind and touching words that so accurately sum up who Dick was: “I just wanted you to know how much your dad meant to me. I am grateful that I got to be with him to the very end – just as I promised him I would. I have never heard a man talk about their wife the way he did Terri. He told me everything about her and he absolutely adored her in every way. I loved and was amazed by all the scrapbooks and movies that he meticulously put together from their lifetime of adventures. We had a connection and a friendship that I will always treasure. I miss him already, but I am so glad he is with his beloved Terri.” The Service was held on Monday, February 21, 2022, in Marietta, GA