Richard Leo Zutautas

Richard Leo Zutautas, 78, of Arlington, MA, formerly of Gardner, MA, died peacefully Friday, May 17, 2024, at West Roxbury VA Medical Center, West Roxbury, after a period of declining health, with his family by his side.

Born in Rumford, Maine, on May 16, 1946, he was the son of the late Justin John and Celia (Gallant) Zutautas. He graduated from Mexico (ME) High School in 1965 and Bryant & Stratton Junior College of Business in 1971. Leo was a United States Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran serving from 1968 to 1969, receiving the Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and Good Conduct Medal. Leo was a Letter Carrier and Clerk for the Fitchburg Post Office for over 25 years before his retirement in 2004. When he and his wife Gloria moved to Baltimore, MD, he was a Currier for St. Agnes Hospital for several years.

Leo was a parishioner of Annunciation Parish of Gardner, practicing at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church. In the 1980s, Leo played Santa Claus at the Gardner Cinema for many years; he loved to see the children smile! In his free time, he enjoyed many activities including camping with his children, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren. He also loved walking, bike riding, and gardening. He taught his older grandchildren each how to play cribbage and participated in (and won!) tournaments with them. In his later years, he also enjoyed playing Bingo.

Leo was an avid Red Sox fan and enjoyed watching the games. He and his brother-in-law, Dennis, made many pilgrimages to Camden Yards to watch the Red Sox and Orioles battle it out. Leo was a social person; he and Gloria would go country line dancing together in their younger years and spend quality time with friends who became family. He enjoyed traveling anywhere and everywhere and going on adventures. Leo was happiest when he was spending time with his family and friends.

Leo is survived by his son, Michael J. Zutautas and his wife Susan of Gardner; two daughters, Marcia J. Zutautas and her wife Annie Paradis of Turners Falls and Maureen J. McCann and her husband Timothy of Arlington; four grandchildren, Zachary, Patrick, and Olivia McCann and Josey Paradis; three great-grandchildren, Drake, Lucas and Milo; a sister, Anna Brundage, of Syracuse NY, her son Keith Brundage, and his wife Maribeth, of Charlotte, NC; a brother-in-law, Dennis Theriault, and his wife Kathi, of Ashburnham; a sister-in-law Melissa Theriault, and her significant other Kevin Cormier, of Phillipston; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was predeceased by his loving wife of 52 years, Gloria J. (Theriault) Zutautas, who died in 2022; a sister, Theresa Gallant; a nephew, Danny Gallant; and a sister-in-law, Brenda Dion.

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, May 23, 2024, from the Boucher Funeral Home, Inc., 110 Nichols Street, Gardner, MA, with a Mass at 11:30 a.m. in Annunciation Parish at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, 135 Nichols Street, Gardner, MA. Burial with Military Honors will follow at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Glenallen Street, Winchendon, MA.

Calling Hours will be held Wednesday, May 22, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250, on their website (help.dav.org). Please reference in memory of Richard Leo Zutautas.

Boucher Funeral Home, Inc., 110 Nichols Street, PO Box 455, Gardner, MA 01440, has been entrusted with the arrangements.

To leave an online condolence, please visit www.boucherfuneral.com