Obituary for Richard "Dick" Westman
Richard “Dick” Westman, 84, passed away on Sunday, December 16, 2018 at his home in Cambridge. He was born on February 7, 1934 in Burlington, son of the late Orson and Eleanor (Cutting) Westman. He was the second of 5 children. Dick graduated from Cambridge High School where he fondly remembered playing baseball.
Our father was a proud dairy farmer. His life was dominated by hard work and farm chores. He loved to read. He was an avid hunter and he loved baseball from his early years. But the land, the animals, and the farm were central to our father's and mother’s lives. He believed “there is no substitute for hard work”. What our father had was, as the Nike saying goes, “Earned. Not given”. He enjoyed working hard.
Dick enlisted in the United States Navy in Feb 1953, and served as a Navy Corpsman. His performance was so exemplary he was promoted early to third class Petty Officer (HM3) ahead of his peers, and was offered a coveted Navy scholarship to attend medical school. In 1957, Dick received an Honorable discharge from the Navy and returned to Cambridge and the farm.
He was proud of his life with our mother and proud of his children and grandchildren. He was happily married to
Shirley A. (Wells) Westman, his wife of nearly 50 years, until she predeceased him on February 12, 2008.
Our father is survived by his son Richard A. Westman and his partner Joan Nagy, his daughter, Liz, and her husband Major General Cedric George and their daughters Morgan, Hannah, and Sydney. A daughter, Eleanor, preceded him in death. He leaves behind 3 brothers, a sister, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in- law and many close friends like Donna and Frank Hutchins and John Tricou. All of them will miss him dearly.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday December 21, 2018 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at A. W. Rich Funeral Home in Fairfax. A graveside service will be held in the spring at the convenience of the family. Memorial contributions in Dick’s memory may be made to Lamoille Home Health and Hospice, 54 Farr Avenue, Morrisville, VT 05661.
Our father was a proud dairy farmer. His life was dominated by hard work and farm chores. He loved to read. He was an avid hunter and he loved baseball from his early years. But the land, the animals, and the farm were central to our father's and mother’s lives. He believed “there is no substitute for hard work”. What our father had was, as the Nike saying goes, “Earned. Not given”. He enjoyed working hard.
Dick enlisted in the United States Navy in Feb 1953, and served as a Navy Corpsman. His performance was so exemplary he was promoted early to third class Petty Officer (HM3) ahead of his peers, and was offered a coveted Navy scholarship to attend medical school. In 1957, Dick received an Honorable discharge from the Navy and returned to Cambridge and the farm.
He was proud of his life with our mother and proud of his children and grandchildren. He was happily married to
Shirley A. (Wells) Westman, his wife of nearly 50 years, until she predeceased him on February 12, 2008.
Our father is survived by his son Richard A. Westman and his partner Joan Nagy, his daughter, Liz, and her husband Major General Cedric George and their daughters Morgan, Hannah, and Sydney. A daughter, Eleanor, preceded him in death. He leaves behind 3 brothers, a sister, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in- law and many close friends like Donna and Frank Hutchins and John Tricou. All of them will miss him dearly.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday December 21, 2018 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at A. W. Rich Funeral Home in Fairfax. A graveside service will be held in the spring at the convenience of the family. Memorial contributions in Dick’s memory may be made to Lamoille Home Health and Hospice, 54 Farr Avenue, Morrisville, VT 05661.