DANVERS: Richard D. “Dick” Batchelder, 78, died Tuesday, February 14, 2012 in the Kaplan Family Hospice House following a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease. He was the beloved husband of Marian E. (Ross) Batchelder.
Born in Beverly on March 18, 1933, he was the son of the late George “Ted” and Elinor R. (Scotti) Batchelder. He had resided in Beverly for many years before moving to Danvers in 1981. He was a graduate of St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers class of 1951, where he was the class Salutatorian and Captain of both the baseball and basketball teams. In 2004 he was elected into the St. John’s Prep Athletic Hall of Fame for his academic excellence and captain of two sports. He also graduated in the top ten percent of his class at Dartmouth College class of 1955, where he also excelled not only academically, but also on the baseball diamond. He received his Master’s Degree in Education from Salem State College in 1960.
Dick had a long distinguished teaching career, first as a history teacher at Rockport High School, where he coached basketball and led his team to two Cape Ann Championships and four Tech Tourney appearances. He later taught history, worked as a guidance counselor and coached basketball at Beverly High School for thirty-one years before retiring in 1994. In 1967, while at Beverly High School, Dick coached his team to an Essex County Basketball Championship and had two Tech Tourney appearances. He coached only one of two undefeated basketball teams in the school’s history.
Affectionately known as “Mr. Giveaway”, Dick was affiliated with the Boston Celtics, where his work allowed hundreds of kids and adults to attend Celtics basketball games free of charge. He was also the assistant basketball coach at North Shore Community College and was associated with the Wayne Embry Basketball School. He was affiliated with the Massachusetts Special Olympics under the late Eunice Shriver.
In addition to his wife of thirty years, he is survived by his daughter, Wendy and her husband Rick Razinha of Hyannis; two sons, Richard “Dick”, Jr. and his wife Lori Batchelder of Groveland and Sean and his wife Brenda Batchelder of Penacook NH; seven grandchildren, Michael, Amanda and Elizabeth Bennett, Sean, Matthew, Brittany and Brooke Batchelder, one great-grandson, Kaydon Bennett; a brother-in-law and his wife, Paul and Gloria Ross of Hendersonville, NC; a sister-in-law and her husband, Dorothy and Dr. Blake Cady of Brookline and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
His funeral Mass will be held on Saturday in the Chapel at St. John’s Preparatory School, Spring St., Danvers at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Friday in the Grondin Funeral Home, 376 Cabot Street, Beverly from 3 – 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923.