Richard George “Dick” Theriault

RUMFORD – Richard George “Dick” Theriault died on July 23, 2022 at Androscoggin Home Healthcare abd Hospice in Auburn.

Dick was born in Rumford on Feb. 10, 1934, to George and Emelia (Thibodeau) Theriault. He graduated from Stephens High School in 1953, attended the University of Miami, and was a graduate of East Coast Aero Tech.

He served in the U.S. Army in the 82nd Airborne Division and was injured in Germany, receiving a medical discharge. He married his wife Anita in Dallas, Texas, on June 5, 1962, and they resided in Rumford. Together they raised two daughters. Dick was well-known locally as the proprietor of Madison Motel Corp., and Madison Air Marine.

Throughout his life, Dick enjoyed the company of good friends in the great outdoors, hunting, fishing, all water sports, and sailing his yacht Chandelle in the Caribbean and off the Maine coast. He also enjoyed duck hunting on Vinalhaven and had a special love for his many Labrador Retrievers over the years.

Above all else, he loved flying and had ratings in everything, including helicopters. With his adventurous spirit, his passion was aerobatics, which he frequently practiced in his Stearman.

Dick first became involved with flying at age 14 as a Civil Air Patrol cadet. He attended flight schools in Florida and soloed at age 17. In 1978, he completed a cross-country open cockpit biplane flight and, in the process, wrote his name in the record books twice, setting both a World Class Record and a U.S. National Record.

For more than 40 summers, Dick and his seaplane were fixtures at Roxbury Pond where he resided on French Island. His extensive travels took Dick, often accompanied by his wife Anita, to Asia, Australia, South America, Mexico, Canada, The Bahamas, and the South Pacific. He made numerous visits to Africa, mostly to Zimbabwe, for hunting safaris and exploration.

A member of the Rumford Finance Committee for many years, Dick, along with a small group of mostly pilots, was also instrumental in bringing a new airport to Bethel, Maine.

Dick is survived by his wife Anita; stepdaughters, Patricia Riemensnider of Rumford and Linda Kekalainen of Ocala, Florida; his goddaughter Manuela Dos Passos of Gorham, Maine; his Theriault and Thibodeau cousins; and many friends, both near and far.

The family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to Androscoggin Home Healthcare and Hospice for the wonderful care and compassion provided to Dick.

Friends and family are invited to sign the online guest book and share memories with the family at http://www.meaderandson.com.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 1 p.m., Friday Aug. 12, 2022, at the Parish of The Holy Savior St. Athanasius St. John Church, 126 Maine Ave., Rumford. Interment will follow at St. John Cemetery in Rumford.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Meader and Son Funeral Home 3 Franklin St., Rumford.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dick’s memory to a charity of

one’s choice.