Richard Joseph Rafferty, Sr., 91, of Sutton, MA., passed away peacefully in his home on Friday, December 20th, surrounded by his children. “Dickie” was born in Worcester, and started from humble roots as a child of 11 siblings. As tradition would have it, Dickie graduated alongside his brothers from St. John’s High School in Worcester. He married the love of his life, Joanne Charest, in 1950, and moved to Sutton to raise their family of six.
Dickie was a proud member of the Sutton community. He worked for many years at the Wyman Gordon Company and eventually retired from Worcester State College after being employed in the maintenance department there for 15 years.
Dickie loved fishing, storytelling, Boston sports, cracking jokes and singing Christmas carols. He had a passion for politics and was politically active throughout his life. Dickie had an open door policy-anyone was welcome to come and sit with him and “break bread” and share his quick humor and infectious laughter and the nicknames he bestowed upon those he loved. He advocated strongly that that every person should have a second chance to start over. He was a spiritual man, attending morning mass each day to pray for his grandson, Lance Corporal Sean Rafferty on active duty in the middle-east with the United States Marines. He was very proud of his Irish heritage and even prouder of the loud and loving family he created. He loved his summers on the Cape with the annual 4th of July family reunions at the Rafferty Compound. He enjoyed winters in Florida and travelled with his wife Joanne to Ireland, Greece and the Caribbean.
Richard is survived by his wife of 70 years Joanne (Charest) Rafferty; his children Lynn Stover of Millbury, Dr. Teresa Rafferty and Michael Hull of Worcester, Christine Rafferty and her companion Mark Mercadante of Webster, Attorney Richard Rafferty and his wife Jeanne of Northborough, Timothy Rafferty and his wife Cindy of Sutton. He was predeceased by his daughter Kathleen Rafferty-Mooney, who passed away in 2013 of breast cancer. Also to be included in his list of children is Steven Trottier of Millbury who is a grandson to Dickie but was much more like a son growing up with Timothy. He was a proud grandfather of 22, great grandfather of 23 and great, great grandfather of 2.
Dickie’s passing marks the end of an era, as he was predeceased by his ten siblings: Owen Rafferty and his wife Margaret, Anna (Rafferty) Sarasin and her husband George, Raymond Rafferty and his wife Margaret, Jimmy Rafferty and his wife Margaret, Rita (Rafferty) Lavallee, Mary (Rafferty) Atella and her husband Leo, Sarah “Sally” (Rafferty) Erricola and her husband Robert, Edward Rafferty and his wife Lois, who predeceased him, and his wife Josie, Arthur Rafferty and his wife Eileen, and Barbara (Rafferty) Jacques and her husband John. He was also predeceased by his grandsons Lawrence Kenney and Matthew Stover.
We are grateful that Dickie enjoyed good health up until the last few weeks of his life. It was his wish to return from Florida and pass in the place he called home. Because of the efforts of his family to bring him back (thank you Christine and Timothy) and the around the clock care given by Timothy, Cindy, Lynn and Steven, he was able to have his dying wish. The family would also like to thank Bill Mooney, Kathleen’s husband, of Venice, FL for keeping a watchful eye on Dickie and Joanne while they spent their last few years in Florida.
His funeral and burial will be private. Calling hours will be held on Thursday, December 26th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in O’CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 592 Park Avenue, Worcester. Please feel free to join the family for a celebration of life gathering at El Basha Restaurant, 256 Park Avenue, Worcester, following calling hours. Dickie wanted to make sure everyone had a cold beer and a bite to eat in his memory. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dickie Rafferty’s memory are suggested to the St. John’s Food For The Poor, 20 Temple Street, Worcester, MA 01604.