Richard Sgarzi

1942 - 2019

SGARZI Richard Harry, age 76, of Plymouth, Massachusetts passed away on July 26, 2019 at the Hôpital Enfant-Jésus in Québec City, where Richard was on vacation with his beloved partner, Claudette, and her children. Born on August 13, 1942, Richard was the son of the late Orfeo and Germaine (Bouchard) Sgarzi. He was a graduate of St. John’s Preparatory School, Danvers, Massachusetts, Class of 1961 and of Boston College where he received a Bachelor of Science degree, Class of 1965. Richard started his career working with his dad in the insurance and travel businesses, Cape Travel and Cape Insurance. At the age of 42, he met a young man who wanted to be a cranberry grower. Richard helped finance the venture and their partnership in Black Cat Cranberry Corporation would last nearly 30 years, selling their crops to the Ocean Spray agricultural cooperative of growers. Richard transformed the business with his ingenuity, making custom machinery to maintain and harvest crops and spending winters preparing the equipment for the next season. During this time, Richard somehow acquired a single helicopter and used it to service his bogs. This helicopter purchase soon grew to 9 choppers and a genuine airline that serviced many more acres of bogs for local growers. He also contracted to inspect power lines throughout the Northeast and to transport passengers to the Vineyard. Golf was Richard’s passion and he always said that he met the most interesting people on golf courses. So many became life-long friends. He has been a continuous member at Plymouth Country Club for 57 years. Richard loved traditions and skied every year at powder Mountain in Utah with a group of friends. He was a trusted and generous friend who helped at the drop of a hat, whether it be painting a garage floor, cleaning gutters or cutting trees. Richard was full of life, curious and inventive, hardworking, loving, generous, and loyal. Richard served on the Board of Directors at Rockland Trust from1980 to 2004. He served on many committees including on the Executive Committee and was Chairman of the Trust Committee retiring at the age of 72. Richard also served as a Trustee of the Plimoth Plantation for 31 years. He spent an additional 6 years as a Museum Council Member and 1 year as an Honorary Trustee. For four decades, Richard worked closely with Plimoth through good times and challenging times. Few know that his history with the Plantation goes beyond these 40 years. His family has been with the museum from the very beginning in 1947. He served as Treasurer and on many committees including: Finance, Investment, Audit, Building and Grounds, Land Use, Compensation, Waste Water and Marketing. Richard visited Mystic Seaport several times to work on the restoration of the Ship Mayflower II. “Plimoth is eternally grateful to Richard and will miss him. His dedication, diligence, wisdom, skills, care and friendship were an inspiration to all and helped make Plimoth a better place”. Upon his retirement, Richard was invited to be the Honorary Captain of the Mayflower II on its 400th anniversary voyage from Provincetown to Plymouth in 2020. He was honored and so looking forward to it. Besides leaving Claudette, his companion in adventure, Richard was the loving father of Eva, Emily and Mark Sgarzi. He also leaves his brother Robert and wife Joan, his sister Germaine Maria Sgarzi, his two nieces Maureen and Sheila (Matthew Sawicki) and their three children, Joey, Cecily and Seraphina Moon. He was much loved by Claudette’s family and cherished as “Grandpapa Richard” by Claudette’s French grandchildren. Our family wishes to express immense appreciation and gratitude to the medical personnel and staff at Hôpital Enfant-Jésus for the exceptional care taken of Richard and for the respect, grace and kindness shown to him and to our family. A Life Celebration Memorial will take place on August 16, 2019, at 11 a.m., at the Plimoth Plantation, 137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth, MA 02360. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to The Plimoth Plantation.