Richard D. Sawyer, Sr.

1930 - 2025

Newbury, NH – Richard D. Sawyer, Sr., 95, died peacefully on November 30, 2025, at Woodcrest Village Assisted Living in New London, NH.

Dick was born on June 6, 1930, in Concord, NH, to Ida (Carlson) Sawyer and Russell D. Sawyer. He graduated from St. Paul’s School in 1948 and went on to Kenyon College, where he studied French, joined the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages in 1952. He continued his studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, receiving a Master of Arts in Teaching in Foreign Languages in 1953.

Dick married Mary Louise (Lou) Gilman, also of West Concord, and the couple moved to Lenox, MA. There, he taught French at the Lenox School for Boys and coached football and basketball. During his nine years in Lenox, he also served as an Army reservist, attaining the rank of Sergeant First Class and Acting Company First Sergeant.

In 1962, the family moved to St. Paul’s School, where Dick taught French and coached boys’ football and basketball, later adding girls’ softball to his coaching career. He also held several administrative roles, including Director of Admission—serving during the school’s transition to coeducation in 1971—and later Executive Director of the Alumni Association. After retiring in 1990, Dick and Lou wintered in Nokomis, FL, and spent the rest of the year in their lovingly restored 1789 Cape Cod home on Baker Hill in Newbury, NH.

Although education and boarding school life shaped much of Dick’s career, he nurtured many personal passions. As a child, an extended illness confined him to bed, sparking a lifelong interest in collecting stamps and coins. In retirement, he and Lou enjoyed nearly 35 winters of golf in Florida. One of Dick’s greatest joys was the two decades he and Lou devoted to restoring and winterizing their Baker Hill home. Lou—whom Dick always called “my best friend”—supported every project, even when a circular saw lived on the kitchen table for an entire summer or when the central staircase was completely reoriented.

When Dick and Lou could no longer remain at Baker Hill in 2025, they embraced Woodcrest Village as “home” and formed meaningful, loving friendships there. The family extends heartfelt thanks to the residents, staff, and administration of Woodcrest for their extraordinary kindness and care during the couple’s final months, and to the Lake Sunapee VNA Hospice team for their sensitive and informative support in their final weeks.

Dick was predeceased by his wife, Mary G. Sawyer, and his son, Richard D. Sawyer, Jr. He is survived by his daughter, Karen Sawyer of Telford, PA; granddaughters Carly Sawyer (Ben) of Charlottesville, VA, and Kaylyn Sawyer of Columbia, SC; former daughter-in-law Catherine (Jeff) Satterfield of Yorktown, VA; brother-in-law Richard Gilman (Carmen) and niece Janet Gilman of Fredonia, NY; and nephews Jeffrey Gilman (Valerie) of Mount Airy, MD, and Marcus Gilman of Los Angeles, CA.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, May 16, 2026, in the Old Chapel at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH. The family will greet friends before and after the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lake Sunapee Hospice or the Ausbon Sargent Land Trust.