Richard "Dick" Davies

Richard "Dick" Davies, resident of Maynard, MA, passed away on 11/14/24 at age 88. 

Dick was known best for his "wicked" intelligence, particularly in the fields of theoretical physics and abstract mathematics, his irreverent sense of humor, and his unwavering support for his family and close friends.

Perhaps the most under-recognized aspects of Dick's personality were his humbleness and his gratefulness for everyone who, and everything that, contributed to his life.

Dick had a humble start in life. He was born in Pittsburgh in 1936 into a poor family and lost his father tragically at age 9. Because his mother could not afford to support her two boys, they were transferred into the care of the Milton Hershey School for orphaned boys, where Dick was raised and educated until his high school graduation in 1954. The Hershey School provided for his basic needs, helped him forge life-long friends, and gave him a solid educational foundation. However, the boarding school life could be harsh, and it left him with few opportunities to experience the freedoms and pleasures available to children from families of better means. But it was this early life experience that taught Dick the values of hard work and frugality - values that stuck with him throughout his entire life. And despite his disadvantaged youth, he never complained about any of the hardships and deprivations he experienced during his early years.

After high school, Dick started to climb the ladder of success. He and his brother, Tom, were gifted intellectually and were academically driven. These strengths earned Dick and Tom admission into a prestigious technical college called Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University), located in Pittsburgh. At this college, both brothers completed their PhDs in Physics. 

They both went on to successful careers in theoretical physics. Dick moved from Pittsburgh, PA to Acton, MA in 1964 to work at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory and subsequently, to GTE Corporation, He also, often in collaboration with his brother, published many research papers in prestigious physics journals. Due to their professional contributions to the field of physics, the brothers received a joint Alumni of the Year award from the Milton Hershey school in 1978. Their portraits are on permanent display in Hershey's Founder's Hall. Despite all of these academic and professional achievements, Dick remained humble and underplayed these significant accomplishments.

In his personal life, Dick married his first wife, Carol Seddon, in Pittsburgh in 1961 before moving to Acton in 1964. This is where he and Carol raised their children, Lisa and Annette (who he jokingly introduced to people as his two "SEMI-beautiful daughters"). Carol passed away from colon cancer at the young age of 51 in 1991. 

In 1997, he moved to Maynard, MA and married his second wife, Carole Cochin, who brought her son Ted and daughter Nicole into the family fold. Dick and Carole remained in Maynard until his passing.

We will not only miss his love and support, but also his unique set of pleasures: gluing himself to televised Celtics and Steelers games (Go Steelers!), eating ice cream, bacon, scrambled eggs mixed with ketchup, and barbecued chipped ham (a Pittsburgh delicacy), being the life of parties by telling dirty jokes and delivering punch lines with perfect comedic timing, and also convincing complete strangers to sing with him around a piano. He played tennis and loved to fish in his younger years and became an avid golfer after retirement. He often joked that his favorite hole was the 19th, because it was there that he could drink a cold beer and eat hot dogs. He would also never get tired of watching reruns of classic 1940's era monster movies such as "Frankenstein", "The Werewolf", "Dracula", and "The Mummy". When grandchildren started to arrive, he loved to babysit (as long as it didn't involve changing diapers), and he kept his mind stimulated up to the end by being an avid reader, particularly of biographies, and by completing crossword puzzles. He also enjoyed spending vacations with his wife, Carole, in Ogunquit, ME and Fort Pierce, FL.

The world has lost an extremely loving, one-of-a-kind person, and his family and friends already feel an immense void with his passing.

Dick is survived by his wife Carole Davies, daughters Lisa Nydick and Annette Davies, stepdaughter Nicole Kachmar, son-in-laws Dan Nydick, Mike Giunta, and Jon Kachmar, and grandchildren Erin and Nora Nydick, Chris and Adam Giunta, and Dylan Kachmar.

Dick will be interred at the Mt. Hope cemetery in Acton. There will be a private family memorial gathering at a date to be determined.

Please consider donating to a charity of your choice in Dick's memory.