Richard A. "Dick" Johnson

1927 - 2021

Norwich - Richard A. "Dick" Johnson passed away Jan. 13, 2021, in New London. He was born May 1, 1927, in Westbrook, Maine, to Everett and Frances Johnson. They moved to South Bridgton, Maine when little Richard was three months old. He grew up in the house by the sawmill.

His infatuation with books started at an early age. He became an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction and amassed a collection of tens of thousands of books. When all the bookshelves in his house were filled, he built more bookshelves, on wheels, in front of them.

Dick graduated from Bridgton High in 1945, and was keen to become a pilot, so he signed up for the Army Air Forces. But by the time he finished basic training, the need for fighter pilots had ended and he was assigned to the motor pool. Being Everett's son, he could drive anything that could move. He was part of the post-war occupying force in Europe. Two years later the Air Force broke apart from the Army and he chose to re-enlist in the Army. He went to officers candidate school, refused his commission ("I didn't want to be an officer. I just wanted to know what the officers knew."), and received an honorable discharge in 1949.

Richard married Maybelle Blake of Naples, Maine, in June of 1950. The couple moved to Poquonnock Bridge, Groton for the first of their 70 years together. Richard started working as a mathematician at Electric Boat in Groton while also taking classes at the University of Connecticut. In 1955 they moved a few miles north to Norwich. Soon he had a degree in mathematics, and started a job across the Thames River from EB at the Navy's Sound Lab in New London. There he became a computer programmer, among the first generation of people to be so-called. The Sound Lab became the Underwater Systems Center, where he worked as a programmer until his retirement in 1989.

Baseball was also part of Dick's life from an early age. He played for the high school team and the Bridgton town team, which consisted of mostly adults. He loved to tell of the time he got to watch Jimmie Foxx play at Fenway Park. He and Maybelle watched all the games together. That's 162 dates per year. Plus spring training and sometimes the playoffs! Often he would keep score, just for fun.

Richard was also a music lover with a fine ear for pitch. He sang for seven decades in the choir at Central Baptist Church in Norwich. He was also a life member of the Barbershop Society (SPEBSQSA) and sang baritone with both the Norwich and Providence, R.I. chapters and in several quartets.

Chess was another of Dick's favorite avocations. He played in tournaments throughout New England. He also directed many tournaments in Norwich and New London and one year directed the New England Open. Perhaps most importantly, he patiently taught his three children to play chess. Dick owned a set of golf clubs and took his sons out to play. He also bowled and owned a set of duckpin balls and a couple of tenpin balls, although his real love was candlepin bowling.

Dick learned Morse Code in the 1950s and for a while kept a Ham Radio operator's license. In the 60s he took flight classes and achieved his longtime goal of gaining a pilot's license. And he took us up not to go anywhere but just for the magic of it. "Look, we're flying!"

Richard is preceded in death by his youngest son, Eric; his sister June Peaco (Johnson); sister-in-law Evelyn Blake; and his brother-in-law Gordon Peaco. His wife, Maybelle, died the same morning as Dick. They were exposed to COVID-19 together the last week of December. He is survived by his brother, Lee Johnson and sister-in-law Judy Johnson of Bridgton, Maine; brother-in-law Wilfred Blake of Voluntown; children, Frank of Albuquerque, N.M. and Rosemary of Norwich, daughters-in-law, Lee Ann Johnson (nee Backer) of Oakdale and Zelda Gordon of Albuquerque, N.M.; granddaughters, Stephani Goss and Kelley Johnson; grandson Lee Johnson of Connecticut; and many Johnson, Blake, Peaco and other nieces and nephews and beyond.

No services will be held at this time. Please visit www.montvillefuneralhome.com to leave a memory for his family.