PEAKS ISLAND – Richard Berry Hasson, 75, passed away peacefully on the morning of October 22, 2026. Born on June 2, 1951, in Portland, Maine, he was the son of the late Richard Lambert Berry and Mary Elizabeth Adams. His biological father passed away before he was born, and he was later adopted by Richard Hayden Patrick Hasson.
Rick spent his childhood on Peaks Island and lived there for most of his life. Many people on the island remember seeing him on the 7:15 ferry commute to Portland, always holding a book he was immersed in while guarding the trash can and tapping out a drum beat.
He served in the United States Air Force and was stationed in Turkey. Later, he ran two small businesses: a summer kayak rental on Peaks Island and Rick’s Tub and Shower Repairs. He enjoyed running his own businesses because it allowed him freedom and a connection to people.
He loved music and was a talented drummer. He listened to bands like The Beatles and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and hosted music gatherings at his home. In his younger years, he played baseball and captained a paintball team.
In his final years, his health declined, and he was diagnosed with dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, David Adams Berry, the screenwriter of The Whales Of August.
He is survived by his wife, Cathy June Hasson; his daughters, Amber Gibson and her husband Ian, and Haylee McIlwain and her husband Joel; Jess Green, whom the family welcomed and loved as one of their own; five grandchildren: Mazie, Gavin, Vivian, Hayzel, and Theodore who all knew him as Pop-Pop; and his sister, Barbara Hasson Brown.
”Ricky” will be remembered for his teddy bear spirit, big smile, youthful sense of fun, and his enduring connection to Peaks Island. For him, Peaks Island was always home—where his happiest memories began and where his heart will forever remain.
A celebration of life will be planned for a later date to honor his memory.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service, Buxton, www.maineufneral.com