Richard Francis Bergeron, 91, passed away peacefully at the St. Joseph Residential Care Home in Burlington on Tuesday, June 19, 2012. Born in Leominster, MA, on March 10, 1921, he was the son of the late Eugene A. and Evalina (Branconnier) Bergeron. On Christmas Day, 1945, Richard married the former Ruth Lemon in Cape Canaveral, FL. His beloved wife of 66 years predeceased Richard on April 18, 2012.
Richard attended schools in Leominster, MA, and in addition from the age of 10, worked in the paper mills alongside his mother to help support the family. He continued his education, graduating from Brown University and then went on to enlist in the U.S. Navy, serving during WWII in both the Hospital Corps as well as Aviation. Richard met Ruth at the USO and was married less than a year later. Following his discharge from the service, Richard went to work for Mobil Oil where he was an executive and traveled worldwide to places such as Libya, Venezuela, throughout Europe and the Far East. Moving to the Mad River Valley in 1997, he and Ruth had made their home in Waitsfield since.
Richard was a devoted and active member of Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Waitsfield where he dedicated a tremendous amount of time and energy in all aspects of the parish. Richard served the town of Waitsfield as member of the select board, was a benefactor of Bishop John A. Marshall School in Morrisville and contributed regularly to the Heifer Project. In his leisure time, he enjoyed cooking, spending time with close friends and, most of all, was devoted to his loving wife.
Richard is survived by extended family and close friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated from Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Waitsfield on Monday, June 25, 2012, at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow in the church parish hall. Burial will take place in the Waitsfield Common Cemetery. Memorial gifts in lieu of flowers would be appreciated to the Bishop John A. Marshall School, 680 Laporte Road, Morrisville, VT 05661. The Perkins-Parker Funeral Home in Waterbury is assisting with arrangements. To send online condolences visit www.perkinsparker.com and Facebook.
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