RICHARD H. "DICK" FORSYTH

1929 - 2014

Forsyth, Richard H. "Dick" Of Newton died Nov. 26 of pneumonia, amyloidosis, flu. He was surrounded by his wife and 3 children (one by phone) in his final hours, which were peaceful. He was 85. Born March 10, 1929 in Chicago to Lowell and Esther (Olson) Forsyth. BS, Chemistry, Grove City Coll, PA, '51. Married Diana Bowden of Wales, 1959; moved to Mass., had two children, Kristina & Matthew, divorced 1974. Married Martha Schecter, 1976; adopted her son, Peter. As a young man, Dick enjoyed driving in rally races. He entertained many lifelong interests, most shared w/ family. After early career in chem., audio recording tech. & engineering and electronic repair became central to his work. Interests intertwined with Martha's passion for Bulgarian folk music and culture. Recently joined Balkan & Sacred Harp singing groups. Actively pursued interest in esoteric TV, movies & literature w/ Kristina. Survived by wife (Martha); daughter (Kristina); son, d.-in-law, & grandson (Matthew, Mary, Collen); son (Peter). Preceded in death by his sister (Nancy). Dick's remains were cremated without ceremony. All welcome to attend memorial, early 2015, to celebrate Dick's rich, varied life. To honor his life w/ a gift, consider: Folk Arts Center of New England, East European Folklife Center, WCRB. http://dick.forsyths.org