Richard “Dick” Rasor

BETHEL – Richard “Dick” Rasor of Bethel, Maine and Boynton Beach, Fla. passed away peacefully on April 4, 2022. Dick was born Jan. 2, 1939 and raised in New York City. He lived in the Wellington Hotel with his parents, William and Lucille, and his two brothers.His father was an executive in the hotel industry, and Dick would later follow in his footsteps. He attended The Collegiate School, rode his bike around the city with his brothers and sledded in Central Park. He would leave school early on Fridays to see movies with his childhood friend, Peter Bogdanovich, or “Bugsy” as he was known back in those days.Dick attended Garden City, NY High School (class of 1957) when his family moved to The Garden City Hotel. He played varsity lacrosse, hockey and developed a love of musical theater.Dick graduated from Colgate University in 1961, where he studied English Literature. Ever the entrepreneur, he also started a small business, where he sold hamburgers from a rolling cart on campus. At Colgate, Dick was a member of ROTC and the DKE fraternity, played intramural sports and joined the Yale Club in his later years.Dick married Kewie Waters of Garden City in 1961, and was immediately stationed in Madison, Wisc. with the Air Force. Dick was deployed to Korea for 18 months of post-war duty. He was a public relations officer and achieved the rank of 1st Lieutenant.He often spoke of his wonderful experiences overseas. After returning from Korea, Dick moved to Long Island, NY. with Kewie to raise their children Rich, Kerry and Missy. There he began his illustrious career in advertising. One of his first jobs was national sales and marketing manager of Ballantine Ale. He was then recruited to join the international advertising firm of J. Walter Thompson. It was at JWT where he rose through the ranks from account management to Executive Vice President and oversaw national accounts such as Ford Motor Company and Lever Brothers. Dick eventually left JWT to join rival firm Saatchi & Saatchi/Compton Associates as Executive Vice President of the Jeep/AMC Account.In 1979, after a storied career in advertising, Dick was poised for his next chapter. He had been looking to buy a business of his own somewhere in New England. After a brief search he came across The Bethel Inn and Country Club, in Bethel, Maine. It had fallen on hard times and had closed its doors forever. He purchased it and saved it from receivership and gave the property a new life.Dick also met the love of his life, Gretchen (Chapin) Davidson at this time. He helped raise her children, Heidi and Carter, and they married on New Years Eve 1999. Over four decades, Dick Rasor built the Bethel Inn and Resort into the thriving business it is today. He added a conference center, expanded the golf course to 18 holes, built 53 townhomes, a health club and added a new wing to the Main Inn. He took great pride in the 1,000’s of people who worked at the resort and the many friends he made as its proprietor. Often saying they were the backbone of the Inn – and helped to boost the Bethel economy. In 2000 he took on a partner in longtime General Manager, Allen Connors, who helped him further the success of the resort.Dick was greatly admired by his colleagues in the hotel industry, and was elected to the Resort Committee of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. He was Chairman of the The New England Innkeepers Association’s Marketing Committee, and honored as a life member of The New England Inns and Resorts Association. Dick was very involved in Maine tourism and served in numerous advertising and marketing efforts. He was also involved in Maine politics, supporting many candidates and advocating for Maine’s small businesses.Dick and Gretchen spent their winters at Quail Ridge in Boynton Beach, Fla. They had many wonderful friends, rounds of golf and happy times there. He was very active in club operations at Quail Ridge. Dick sat on the Board of Governors, served on The Long Range Planning Committee, The Real Estate Marketing Committee, and was a member of the House and Membership Committees. His contribution to the growth of Quail Ridge was greatly appreciated by its members.Dick had a great love of sports all of his life. In his middle years Dick played tennis and was an avid skier. He spent many evenings with friends and family, playing marathon games of pool, darts and “pig”. His passion for golf was lifelong, and owning a course was a dream come true. Dick was proud to have acquired his pilot’s license in his 50s. He enjoyed flying his Cessna to Florida and back, and taking off from Bethel Airport just to “poke holes in the sky”.Dick also had a passion for music. He had a beautiful singing voice and loved to entertain. He brought Musical Theater to Bethel, hosting productions in the Inn’s South Dining Room. It was not unusual to find Dick down in the Millbrook Tavern, microphone in hand, belting out show tunes and college fight songs. He was a born storyteller, a true patriot, and larger than life.Above all, Dick loved having his family around him. He was the patriarch, and as the children grew up and started their own families, they gathered at the Inn to be with him and his beloved Gretchen. Nights at the Inn were full of laughter and love, singing and dancing in the tavern, and days were spent golfing and swimming at the pool or the lake house. His grandchildren loved to take golf cart rides with “Poppa Dick”.Dick was a brilliant businessman, who took great pride in mentoring others. He was a doting grandfather, a loving and supportive father, and a devoted husband to Gretchen.He lived a very big life, and let us know that he was content and fulfilled when he got to the 18th hole. He will be terribly missed by his family and his many wonderful friends and business associates, and by all whose lives he touched.Dick is survived by his devoted wife of 22 years, Gretchen Rasor; his children Kerry Rasor, Missy Rasor, Heidi Perry (Bruce), Carter Davidson (Sarah) and predeceased by his son, Richard Rasor, Jr. (Kathy) He was “Poppa Dick” to eleven beautiful grandchildren. He was also predeceased by his brothers, William B. Rasor and Robert Rasor. A celebration of life will be held this summer at the Bethel Inn Resort. Arrangements are under the care of Boynton Memorial Chapel, 800 W Boynton Beach Blvd, Boynton Beach, FL 33426. Online condolences may be shared with his family athttps://www.boyntonmemorial.com/obituary/richard-rasor