1920 – 2013

FARMINGTON — Richard Edwin Beal, 93, of Avon passed away on Monday, Aug. 12, at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

He was born in Avon on July 26, 1920, the son of the late Sumner Horace Beal and Blanche Smith. He graduated from Phillips High School in the Class of 1938.

On Oct. 2, 1953, at the Old North Church in Farmington, he married his cherished wife of 53 years, Thelma M. Black. They continued to reside on his beloved hill on Mile Square Road.

After graduation, Richard served his country during WW II in the Army Signal Corps in the Pacific Theater of Operations.

When he returned home at the end of the war, he was employed for many years with the Somerset Telephone Co., retiring in 1986. During the ’60s, Richard served as the tax collector for the town of Avon.

He was an active participant in local government, attending town meetings and never failing to vote on election day. It was a rare occasion when one might find him not engaged in some productive endeavor.

Richard was a master wood carver and could carve anything, but his specialty was ducks. He has received many awards over the years for his life-like duck carvings. They are treasured by the many family and friends on which he has bestowed them. He furthered his passion of the art by giving his time to teaching it to young and old over many years. He taught his art at the local schools, as well as at the community center in Florida during the winters.

He was honored by the State of Maine for his dedication to the scouting program. His daughter obtained a Curved Bar Award and his five sons obtained the rank of Eagle Scout.

In 2012, the town of Avon dedicated their annual report to Richard. As stated in the report, “he was not only a lifelong member of our community but has contributed greatly to its success.”

He was an outstanding gardener and over the years, he took great pride in maintaining his gardens as well as the family farms. During his later years, come spring, Richard could be found outside working at improving some aspect of his property, with his four-legged companion, Ben, close by.

He is survived by his daughter, Kathleen Howe and husband, Leslie, of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; his sons, Randall Beal and wife, Annamaria, of Avon, Richard Beal Jr. and wife, Elaine, of Ira, Vt., Ronald Beal and wife, Dawn, of Stratham, N.H., Russell Beal of Rawley, Mass., Rodger Beal and wife, Dayna, of Colchester, Conn.; 15 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his wife, Thelma; his sisters, Phoebe and Evangleine; and his brothers, Horace and Theodore.

He will be greatly missed by those that knew and loved him.