Richard Cardinal Williamson

Dr. Richard Cardinal Williamson ("Punch," "Dick," "Doc," "Dad,"), born September 10, 1939, departed this life on August 9, 2025.

Raised in the rural Great Woods of northern Wisconsin, the son of a Norwegian carpenter, Dick's exceptional intellect was discovered early in a one-room schoolhouse. His academic journey led him to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on a full scholarship, where he earned his PhD in Physics.

Dick dedicated his entire career to MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, commuting 25 miles a day by bicycle. There, he invented groundbreaking devices - fondly called "widgets" by his family - many of which remain classified. Among those in his orbit he is an internationally famous physicist. His peers recognized his brilliance, honoring him with the prestigious Century Award as its youngest recipient, which included a year of nationwide lecturing.

A passionate educator, Dick volunteered tirelessly, teaching physics concepts to an estimated 10,000 students across Massachusetts. His captivating demonstrations, like freezing a rose in liquid nitrogen and cracking it with a hammer, ignited wonder. Proud of his three daughters, he consistently chose girls as assistants to encourage women in STEM fields.

Dick embodied the Norwegian belief of *Friluftsliv* - living in the free air. He climbed all 50 of the 4,000 foot White Mountains. He instilled a deep love of the outdoors in his children through mountain climbing, camping, canoeing, cycling, and cross-country skiing outings, where he melted snow for hot chocolate deep in the woods. He was an avid birder and environmentalist and most of all he loved his childhood at Trout Lake, all 3,816 acres of it, brilliant sunlight on the water so different from the deep woods that surrounded it. He watched birds soar far overhead and then, in his later years, learned to "fly like a condor" painstakingly building glider model airplanes and teaching many others who fell in love with gliding on rising lofts of air. Trout Lake will be his final resting place.

For 50 years, Dick was a vibrant member of the Sudbury community. He spoke his mind at town meetings, wrote letters, and advanced local candidates. For each rail trail vote he would mobilize hundreds of supporters to take the next small step in making the Rail Trail a reality. Elected to the Park and Recreation Commission for twelve years, he advocated tirelessly for rail trails there as well, promoting the trail's use as an excellent community resource for fitness and accessible "lateral parks." His lifelong dream for the Sudbury Rail Trail came to fruition in the last year of his life.

Dick will be profoundly missed by his children, Heidi, Meagan, Kari, and Ryan; his seven grandchildren; and a host of friends, colleagues, and former students. His intellect, passion, and dedication are cherished by all who knew him.

All are welcome to celebrate the life of Richard Williamson at 3 p.m. at Davis Field in Sudbury on September 14th. A small remembrance will be held afterwards along the Rail Trail at Broadacres Farm. For more info, reach Heidi Williamson (daughter) at heidi@heidiwilliamson.com or 617-461-7641.



In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated to the Sudbury Valley Trustees, the National Audubon Society, or the Rails to Trails Conservancy. Correspondence may go to Heidi Williamson, 721 12th St SE, Washington DC, her home in which Richard Williamson spent his final days.