Northampton, MA – Richard H. Wynne: 12/7/1940 – 5/20/2026
Born to Lilian M. and Humphrey B. Wynne in Newport News, Virginia, on December 7, 1940, Richard H. Wynne, “Dick”, began early in his life to seek out adventures. While growing up, Dick worked weekends and summers on his grandfather’s farm, where he developed a strong work ethic and a love for the natural world.
Following college graduation, Dick joined the Peace Corps and spent most of his time in Tanzania. Shortly after that he joined the Marine Corp during the time of the Vietnam War. However, he did not spend time in Vietnam but was stationed in a number of places throughout the world. During both of those services, Dick had wonderful adventures with friends that continued throughout his life. “I liked chasing a little adventure and I could have gotten into some trouble, but I was really lucky in my life.”
Dick spent his career helping people. Returning from service, Dick began teaching at Phillips Andover Academy where he met Bill Meyer, who would become a lifelong friend. Bill moved on to Northern California, where Dick helped him build his house. When he was finished with that project, Dick came back to the East coast where he began teaching English at Valley View School in North Brookfield. The students at Valley View were challenging, and Dick loved working with them for many years. After becoming a licensed social worker and counselor in 1982, Dick continued helping others.
At one point, Dick worked on a research ship out of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. He was able to travel extensively, going to many other sites. During one stint he ended up in Kenya and Madagascar for extended periods. The Swahili he had learned in the Peace Corps came in handy, as Dick preferred to rent a hut in the community rather than live with the rest of the crew in a hotel.
Another wonderful experience was working on the Warner Ranch, a cattle ranch in California. He loved this job! The same place also trained students to work in Lesotho, a small country in southern Africa where riding ponies was a common form of transportation. Dick volunteered to be part of that project as well because of all his experience in Africa as well as his experience on the ranch with horses.
After moving to the Northampton area Dick became involved with the Broad Brook Coalition, a volunteer nonprofit organization that helps manage the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area. He was one of BBC’s earliest members and went on to join the Board of Directors, where he served until the time of his death–one of the longest serving board members in BBC history. Dick was especially active on the Stewardship and Education committees, helping to organize BBC workdays and spending many hours pulling invasive plants on the lake and alongside the trails. He was an indefatigable worker, showing up for every workday with a pair of loppers, a shovel, and always a joke or two.
Dick loved birds and particularly catbirds. One of Dick’s pleasures was enticing catbirds to eat raisins from his hand, a process that required great patience on his part. And he nailed a suet feeder to a dead tree where he could watch the birds and the occasional bear from his window.
And he loved his motorcycles! Many of his favorite adventures happened while on his motorcycles.
Dick is predeceased by his parents, Lilian and Humphrey, and his brother Charles Wynne. He is survived by his sister, Laura Burke and his sister-in-law, Nancy Wynne. He is also survived by many wonderful friends that have remained so throughout Dick’s life. Visitors to his bedside in his final weeks were impressed, and moved, by his cheerful attitude toward life and death as he reminisced about his many adventures. He will be remembered for his dedication to service and hard work, for his irrepressible sense of humor, and for the largeness of his heart and mind.
Click here to sign the guest book or honor their memory with flowers, donations, or other heartfelt tributes