Richard A. “Dick” Starling
...Retired Tewksbury Fire Lieutenant; 68
TEWKSBURY - Richard A. “Dick” Starling, 68, a well known and beloved retired firefighter,died Sunday morning, April 4, at Saints Memorial Medical Center in Lowell.
He was born in Lowell, July 29, 1935, the son of the late Richard and Marjorie (Knowlton)Starling. He was raised in Tewksbury, graduated Tewksbury High School, and remained alifelong resident of the town.
During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Navy.
He began his firefighting career as a “Call Firefighter” in April 1955. He was named to a full timefirefighting position on November 21, 1960. He retired from fire service, due to disability, on July26, 1986, at the rank of Lieutenant. During his career, he served on the Executive Board of theInternational Association of Fire Fighters, Union Local 1647. Since his retirement, he had servedas a “goodwill ambassador” for the Middlesex County Retirement Board, and the IAFF Union.
Inhis retirement, he also worked with L. J. DiPalma Construction Company in Tewksbury for over15 years.
He enjoyed golf, and traveled throughout the world for the game and in his role as “goodwillambassador.”
He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Lynne Starling and her husband Roland “Alan”Lachica of LaJolla, CA; two sons and a daughter-in-law, R. Russell and his wife Kathleen(Donahue) Starling of Tewksbury; and Grant H. Starling of Tewksbury; three grandchildren,Camryn Lachica, Stephanie and Stephen Starling; his dear friend Diane Parsons of Dracut; histraveling companion and best friend Larry Driscoll of Dracut and Fla.; as well as many dearfriends throughout the world.
He was also brother of the late Barbara Cortez.
His Funeral Service was held April 7, in the First Baptist Church, No. Tewksbury. Interment with Firefighter’s Honors was at Tewksbury Cemetery.