Dr. Frederick W. Richartz

Stonington - Dr. Frederick W. Richartz, 87, of Stonington died peacefully at his home July 6, surrounded by his family. He was the son of Frederick C. and Dorothy Raum Richartz. "Fred" was born and raised in Albany, N.Y.

He graduated from Union College in 1955, and The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1959. He married Nancy Ryon in September 1956 in Schenectady, N.Y. Fred and Nancy were happily married and deeply devoted to each other until Nancy's passing in 2002. They spent several happy years living in Germany while Fred was stationed at the U.S. Army base in Bad Kreuznach. They moved to Mystic in 1964. After being a sole practitioner, Fred was one of the founders of the Mystic Dental Group. He thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie and friendship of his partners in the practice, until his retirement in 2000.

Fred was a voracious reader who often read two to three books at a time, particularly history and politics. He had a steel trap memory, and was known to finish the daily crossword puzzle before finishing his first cup of coffee. Fred deeply appreciated the natural beauty of Stonington and took full advantage of living by the water. He was an enthusiastic birdwatcher who closely monitored the activities of the herons, ducks and egrets in his beloved marsh. He was an avid golfer, skier, fisherman, sailor, Formula One racing fan, and world traveler. Although he practiced dentistry, Fred had a legendary sweet tooth, and nothing brought a bigger smile to his face than the sight of candy, baked goods and ice cream.

Fred is survived by his four children, Christopher of Los Angeles, Calif., Jeffrey (Linda) of Old Lyme, Leslie (Andrew Hoffer) of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Timothy (Maria) of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and six grandchildren, Halsey, Eliza and Graham Richartz, Sophie and Sam Hoffer, and Scarlett Richartz.

His family would like to thank the caring and skilled staff of Southeastern Connecticut Caregivers.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Avalonia Land Conservancy (avalonia.org) in memory of Frederick W. Richartz. A service to celebrate Fred's life will be held at a later date.