Richard Howard Thackston

Richard Howard Thackston Jr., 90, of Wildwood, Florida & Manorville, NY, passed away on February 27, 2026, at the Westhampton Care Center in Westhampton, New York after a short period of declining health. He died in the company of his loving partner and long-term companion Martha Welch.

His parents, Richard H. Thackston Sr. and Katarina (nee Fiedler) Thackston, welcomed their first of four sons into the world on December 2, 1935, in Somerville, New Jersey.

He spent his early childhood in Montclair, New Jersey but the family moved to Whippany, New Jersey in 1942 where his father had been assigned to work by the National War Labor Board for "the duration" as a Millwright for the Whippany Paperboard.

He attended both Bayley-Ellard Catholic High School in Madison New Jersey and Morristown High School in Morristown, New Jersey, graduating from Morristown High School in 1954. Over the decades he enjoyed attending High School Reunions from both schools as well as the Whippany Elementary School and connecting with old friends and neighbors.

He declined a scholarship to Seton Hall University after graduating from High School to pursue a future in New Jersey's booming housing and construction industry of the 1950's. In 1959 however, he determined Computer Programing would be more promising and learned computer programing in night school while working full-time during the day as a bricklayer. When he learned programing, computer programs were still largely hardwired into mainframes. After he began working as a programmer, he found that his career options remained limited without a college degree; he enrolled in Fairleigh Dickison University and obtained a BA in Business & Mathematics while working full-time as a programmer. From that time till retirement, he built a career as a computer programmer and founded his own company, Pre-Compilers Inc, which had contracts with ITT, Bell Labs, Railway Express and Grumman Aircraft to name a few. In post-retirement he joined IATSE Local# 835 in Florida and enjoyed guiding younger members setting up conventions. He was never afraid of work.

He is pre-deceased by his parents and one younger brother, (Thomas), as well as two children, (George Clifford & Katherineanne), and one grandchild, (Elaine Minnette). He is survived by two brothers Charles and Donald as well as six children, Richard H. Thackston III, Erik Thackston, a stepson M. Sean McManus, Shannon L. Patnaude, Charity A. Thackston and Abby L. Thackston as well as numerous grandchildren, relatives and friends from the many different aspects and parts of his varied and colorful life.

Services will be held at 11:00am at the Troy Trinitarian Congregational Church in Troy, New Hampshire on March 21, 2026, with interment later in the Spring beside his daughter, son & granddaughter in Unity, New Hampshire. Parking is across the street at the Gay-Kimball Library.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Troy Congregational Church, Kitchen Renovation Fund, PO Box 233, Troy, NH 03465.

All services are under the care of Cheshire Family Funeral Home, Chapel, and Crematories. www.cheshirefamilyfh.com.