Richard A. "Rick, Dick" Varney

Richard "Rick, Dick" A. Varney

Fernandina Beach - Richard "Rick, Dick" A. Varney, 79, died at the Community Hospice Center in Fernandina Beach after a brief battle with cancer surrounded by his loving family.

Born in his family home in northern Maine, the son of Arden and Helen (MacKenzie) Varney, Rick was the youngest of two children. Rick enjoyed staying in close contact with his older sister, Nedra (Varney) Biliouris until she passed in April of 2020.

Rick enjoyed the slow pace and simple life Maine offered and sweet memories with his Nana. His family moved to Brewer, Maine, where he met his high school sweetheart and wife, Donna Corey. In High School, he played basketball under Coach Mahaney and graduated Salutatorian of the class of 1959. Rick and Donna married in the early 1960's while Rick attended Colby College. After graduating, Rick and Donna started a family and moved all over New England then settled in Morristown, NJ for 30 years.

Rick worked for several companies, rising to Vice President of Human Resources. In January of 1995, he started his own Human Resources consulting firm, The ChangeCrest Group, Inc. located in Morristown, NJ. He worked there until 2011, with his long time associate and friend, Anne (Greco) Voehringer.

Raising his family in Hollis, NH, Rick was extremely supportive of his children's active lives. He was a proud and vocal fan at basketball games. He enjoyed watching and umpiring baseball games and traveled across the country to attend cheering competitions.

In retirement, Rick remained active in his townhome community, volunteering for positions on The Woodcrest Townhome Owners Association, serving as Treasurer and President. Volunteering at the Morristown Memorial hospital in the Emergency Department, he was appreciated for his kind spirit by staff and patients. His smiling face and "fist bumps" will be missed by all who knew him.

For years, Rick enjoyed spending special anniversaries in Bermuda with Donna. Rick relished cruising with his family, celebrating numerous birthdays and anniversaries. Rick loved gathering with close friends and family from Maine to Florida. Quietly supporting his grandchildren, Rick was the friendly face at games, concerts, recitals, award banquets and graduations. He loved his wife dearly and treasured his grandchildren, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and life long friends.

Rick was predeceased by his parents, Arden and Helen Varney and his dear sister, Nedra Biliouris.

Rick will be missed by his loving wife of almost 60 years, Donna Marie (Corey) Varney, by son Arden Varney and wife Janine and son Scott Varney; daughter Kimberly (Varney) Reasor and husband Gary; grandchildren, Kyle, Jenna, Andrew and Daniel; nephew Bill Biliouris and wife Sue and nephews David Biliouris, Troy Corey and Jack Corey; niece Tamara Perkins; grandnieces and grandnephews, Emily, Kelsey, Abigail, Gabriel, Lillian and Thomas; and many dear friends.

A celebration of life is planned for this fall in Brewer, ME, ideally around the annual Brewer High School Athletic Hall of Fame banquet. Date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Rick's honor to: The Brewer Athletic Hall of Fame, attn: David Utterback, 79 Parkway So, Brewer, ME, 04412 or Community Hospice & Palliative Care, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257 https://www.communityhospice.com/give/