Richard (Rick) Mirucki

Richard (Rick) Mirucki, 79, passed away peacefully at his home in West Halifax, VT, surrounded by loved ones on September 21, 2022, after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was born on May 11, 1943, in Hartford, CT, to Joseph Mirucki and Josephine Slowik and was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 37 years, Doris Mirucki, his sister, Jane Olivera, and his grandson, Robert Cole, Jr. Richard is survived by his son Eric Mirucki and daughters Kathleen Ferland (who lovingly cared for him at home in his final years), Tina McKenna (Scott McKenna), Stacy Willett (Wes Willett), Tricia Walter, Geraldine Mirucki Heald, and Sara Mirucki, his siblings, Carolyn Collins and Tom Mirucki, as well as an uncle, Ed Slowik (Barbara Slowik), and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other extended family members.  

Rick was proud of his Polish heritage, as both his mother and father were Polish and his mother was born in Poland. He was also proud of his time in the military. With parental support, he enlisted in the US Air Force one week after he turned 17 in 1960, serving in Korea on a thirteen-month tour as an Air Policeman before being honorably discharged in 1962. After his military service ended, he worked as a self-employed contractor and roofer for most of his career and was continually sought after due to the quality of his work and honest nature. His passion for architecture eventually led him to build his own home from the ground up in Colrain, MA.

Over his life, Rick made a huge impact on those around him. A deeply spiritual and caring person, he served as a head elder of the Shelburne Falls Seventh Day Adventist church for many years and was heavily involved in outreach. He loved to give back to the community and volunteered as an EMT in Colrain, MA for over five years in the 90s and volunteered on the West Halifax, VT fire department from 2005 - 2016.

Rick loved his family immensely and enjoyed nothing more than to spend time with them individually or as a group. He was also a loyal and consistent friend, always the first to lend a listening ear or a helping hand to anyone in need. He consistently made himself available to others and had a very special way of truly seeing and understanding people and providing insight and encouragement as well as a good dose of humor. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

For those who wish to gather to honor Rick’s life, a memorial service will be held at Shelburne Falls Seventh Day Adventist Church in Shelburne Falls, MA, on Sunday, October 16th, at 12:30PM.