William A. Richards, 79

01/25/2008

NORTH ADAMS - William Arthur Richards, 79, of 385 River St. died Friday, Jan. 25, 2008, at North Adams Regional Hospital. Born in North Adams on June 25, 1928, son of George A. and Libby Raymond Richards, he graduated from Drury High School. An Army veteran, he served in Germany with the 172nd Infantry of the 43rd Division during the Korean War and later in the Massachusetts National Guard. He was honorably discharged in 1990 with the rank of sergeant. A draftsman, Mr. Richards was employed by Hill Engineering in Dalton for about 15 years, retiring in 1990. Before that, he worked at the former Arnold Print Works in Adams, at General Electric Co. in Pittsfield and at Kollmorgan in Northampton. He was a communicant of St. Francis' Church, where he served as a Eucharistic minister. In his younger years, he was active in the Boy Scouts and achieved Eagle Scout status. He was a member of the Northern Berkshire Retired Men's Club and of its bowling league and a member of Dr. George L. Curran Post 996 Veterans of Foreign Wars. He enjoyed building model airplanes and rockets and collecting stamps and coins. Mr. Richards was devoted to his family and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His wife, the former Dorothy F. Briggs, whom he married Oct. 28, 1950, died Jan. 17, 2000. He leaves a daughter, Donna M. Bostwick of North Adams, with whom he resided; a son, Bruce C. Richards of North Adams; five grandchildren, Kimberly Gardner, Jason Bostwick, Amy Patenaude and Ryan C. Richards, all of North Adams, and Christina Scott of Adams, and seven great-grandchildren, Luke Gardner, Shellby and Austin Gardner, Katelynn and Haley Martin, and Emily and Olivia Patenaude. FUNERAL NOTICE - A service for William A. Richards will be conducted Thursday at 8:15 a.m from FLYNN & DAGNOLI-MONTAGNA HOME FOR FUNERALS, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, with a funeral Mass at 9 a.m. at St. Francis' Church. Burial will be at a later date. Calling hours at the funeral home will be Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. Donations may be made to the Berkshire Humane Society in care of the funeral home.

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William A. Richards, 79

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