Richard A. Hubbard

Richard A. Hubbard, a man recognized for his great generosity and quick wit by all who knew him, died on July 26, 2008, at age 92 at the Lutheran Healthcare Center of Worcester. Born in Boylston, MA, in March 1916, Richard was one of eight children of Eliot Hubbard and Edith May Adams Corey. He was married to Frances Dolbeare, who predeceased him in 2000. He is survived by his four children – Judith Hubbard of Shrewsbury, MA; Diane (Hubbard) Thompson of Millbury, MA; Frances (Hubbard) Madden of Mashpee, MA; and Dwight Hubbard of Paxton, MA; and by 9 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Richard worked for many years as a skilled tool & die maker in the Worcester area as well as at the Watertown Arsenal during World War II. He often credited his early work with professors at the Washburn Shops of Worcester Polytechnic Institute to the development of his knowledge and enhancement of his skills. Upon retiring, this expertise was used in a personal machine shop at his former home in Shrewsbury, restoring antique automobiles and manufacturing machine parts. Beyond mechanical skills, Richard had a knack for woodworking, having both refinished antique furniture and reproduced pieces. Throughout his life, Richard developed a keen knowledge of antiques and collectibles, becoming active in buying and selling that included yard sales, flea markets and auctions. He can best be described by the line "Have I got a deal for you!"

His interests also included singing in the choir of First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, the Greendale Men's Chorus, and the Mendelssohn Singers of Worcester; to card playing, becoming a duplicate bridge Life Master and a "mean" cribbage player; and to candlepin bowling, participating in the Greendale Retired Men's League.

A private burial service will be held at Mountain View Cemetery in Shrewsbury under the direction of the Nordgren Memorial Chapel of Worcester. A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 73 Lancaster St., Worcester, MA, on Saturday, August 2nd, at 11:00 am.

Flowers may be sent to Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln St., Worcester, MA, 01605; or donations can be made to the building fund of the Lutheran Healthcare Center of Worcester, 26 Harvard St., Worcester, MA, 01609. For directions and on-line condolences, please visit:

NordgrenMemorialChapel.com