Richard J. "Dick" Bleakley

Richard J. "Dick" Bleakley Sr., age 66, of Westminster, MA formerly of Acton, passed away on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. He is survived by his loving family: wife of 45 years Dawn (Fanning) Bleakley; son Richard J. Bleakley Jr. of Wilton, NH; daughter Jessica and husband Tom Carroll of Shirley, MA; son Michael T. Bleakley and partner Jennifer Howland of Westminster, MA; and his cherished grandchildren Michael, Dean, and Noelle. His passing will also be mourned by his aunt Barbara Jeanne Nonnon of Bardonia, NY; his uncle Gene Nonnon of West Babylon, NY; and many loving nieces and nephews, cousins, and devoted friends. He is reunited with his parents Thomas and Rose Bleakley; brother Thomas Bleakley; and sister Diane Teague.

Dick was born on March 30, 1955, in Danbury, CT to the late Thomas Charles and Rose Marie (Nonnon) Bleakley. Dick moved to Acton, MA in 1963; he later attended Acton-Boxborough high-school where he met and began dating his high school sweetheart and future wife Dawn. Dick and Dawn married on November 28, 1976, and settled in Westminster, MA to raise their growing family in the home that Dick built for them.

Dick was a Senior Vice President for Princeton Properties where he was an indispensable part of the team for thirty years. Dick was licensed in Massachusetts as a Real Estate Broker, a Master Electrician, a Journeyman Electrician, and a Construction Supervisor. He held the following designations from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): Graduate Master Builder (GMB), Certified Graduate Builder (CGB), Certified Green Professional (CGP), and Registered Apartment Manager (RAM). He also held a Certified Manager of Maintenance (CMM) designation from the National Center for Housing Management.

Dick had an incredible mind full of knowledge. Dick knew a little about everything and a lot about a lot of things. He could fix anything and needed no more than a brief description to solve the seemingly unsolvable; he enjoyed the challenging tasks that others avoided. Dick never missed an opportunity to learn new things and his long list of certifications do little justice to his skill set. Dick had a passion for technology and was always on the cutting edge. He shared that passion with his friends and family, and he laid the groundwork early in his children's lives for a leg up in a world increasingly reliant on computers and the internet. Despite his breadth of expertise and experience, he offered it generously and unassumingly, seeking always to help and never to impress or outdo.

Dick was happiest when he was on one of his many family trips. New Smyrna beach was like a second home for him and his family and they traveled there every chance they could get. He loved the tourist attractions like Disney and Universal Studios. He loved the night life at City Walk and Flagler Avenue. He loved walks on the beach and meals at every restaurant in town. Most of all, he loved being with his family and meeting new people. Dick was the type of man that brought people together. He would strike up a conversation with strangers and become fast friends. He remembered every face he met and maintained personal accounts of all the individuals he encountered throughout his travels. Dick enjoyed telling stories and people naturally gravitated towards his infectious personality. Dick was the life of the party and made everyone he met feel like an old friend.

Dick's other second home was Lake Winnipesaukee. He first went to the lake with his boy scout troop as a child. Coincidentally, the father of a close family friend from the old neighborhood bought property on the very island on which his troop had camped. Dick loved going back to Diamond Island every year to visit with friends, spend time with family, and as an excuse to get out on the boat. Although he never owned a place on the island, it always felt like you were watching someone return to a childhood home when he pulled up to Howie's dock.

The great love of Dick's life was his wife of 45 years, Dawn. She was his high school sweetheart, his support at home, the amazing mother to his cherished children, his "partner in crime", and his selfless caregiver. They had so much fun on their yearly trips to Vegas that started when they decided to turn an annual home builders conference for work into a partially-subsidized couple's retreat. They loved day trips with the top down in the Mustang and long drives straight-through to Florida while switching off driver duty in the family conversion van. They enjoyed dinner out, meeting new people at the bar over food and drinks, and they enjoyed movie nights at home. They were each other's constant throughout their entire adult lives and together they raised 3 children and 3 grandchildren, helped many foster children, cared for countless cats and dogs, and built a life to be truly proud of.

Dick made an impact on everyone who knew him. Moments shared with Dick will be remembered fondly for his quick jokes, an easy smile, his booming voice, and generous laughter. Moreso, he leaves an indelible legacy as a stalwart friend, an exceptional co-worker, a beloved husband and father, and a truly good and decent man. He will be terribly missed.

Services are private.