YORK — A resident of Cape Neddick, Chief Richard B. Filliettaz passed away peacefully at York Hospital following a brief illness with his loving family by his side. He was born Nov. 9, 1937 in Lewiston the son of Brig. Gen. Charles and Catherine (Conley) Filliettaz. After attending school in Lewiston he enlisted with the United States Air Force, providing over 35 years of dedicated service. He attended Delahanty University in New York, OK A&M with a focus in fire science. He was a certified safety specialist in the maritime, aircraft, missile defense, heavy construction and excavation industries.

Throughout his career with the military, Chief Filliettaz was awarded the skill level of Craftsman across 13 separate career fields. He was the former fire chief at Dow Air Force Base, Bangor, a safety specialist at Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, Watervliet Army Arsenal, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and chief of safety at the former Pease Air Force Base in Newington, NH. Chief Filliettaz also served as an electronics specialist on the Titan I, II, BOMARC, and Minuteman Missile systems. As a longtime volunteer with the Ogunquit Fire Co., Chief Filliettaz was the construction coordinator of the York County Seacoast Fire Training Center.

As a member of VFW Post 6977, Chief Filliettaz created a program which would send thousands of care packages to servicemen and servicewomen deployed to overseas locations. For this, Chief Filliettaz was named the 2006 Martin S. Ulan Citizen of the Year by the Rotary Club.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Sylvia, of Cape Neddick; and three sons, Patrick and wife, Sara, of Cape Elizabeth, Peter and wife, Lisa, of Kennebunk and Michael and wife, Cynthia, of Cape Neddick. Also surviving are four grandchildren, Emmet and Owen of Cape Elizabeth, as well as Johanna and Margaret of Cape Neddick; one sister, Joan Lynch of Lewiston; one sister-in-law, Elizabeth Filliettaz of Hampden; one brother-in-law, Raymond Heathco and wife, Lynn, of Auburn; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, he was predeceased by two brothers, Daniel and Henry Filliettaz, as well as two sisters, Betty Filliettaz Crowley and Claire Filliettaz.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 7, at St. Christopher’s Church in York. Burial will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lewiston, concluding with USAF military honors.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to Warriors At 45 North, 603-538-9994, P.O. Box 132, Pittsburg, NH, 03592-0132, WarriorsAt45N@gmail.com; York Community Service Association, 207-363-5504, 855 US Rt. One, York, ME 03909, mailing address P.O. Box 180, York, ME 03909.

Online condolences and sharing of memories may be expressed at www.lynchbrothers.com.

Richard B. Filliettaz