Richard T. Saunders, 75, of New Bedford died Sunday November 30, 2008 at St. Luke's Hospital. He was the husband of Anne Downey Saunders, M.D.
Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Capt. Herman R. and Matilda M. (O’Reilly) Saunders, he lived in New Bedford for most of his life.
He was a communicant of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish and St. Lawrence Parish.
Mr. Saunders was a well-known area funeral director who established the Richard T. Saunders Funeral Home Inc. in 1967. The firm later merged with the Dwyer Funeral Home in 1985 to create the Saunders-Dwyer Home For Funerals and in 1996 a new Mattapoisett facility was added. Prior to entering funeral service, he was an English teacher at Roosevelt Junior High School for several years.
He was a graduate of Monsignor Coyle High School, Boston College, and the Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago.
He was a member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, the New Bedford Port Society, the N.A.A.C.P., the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, the Friends of Poland, the Wamsutta Club, the American Legion Post 1, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge 73, and the Portuguese-American Social Club. He had served as a Commissioner of the New Bedford Housing Authority since 1981.
From 1955 to 1957, he served in the U.S. Army as a Morse Code operator stationed at Brize Norton Royal Air Force Base in England.
Although of Irish heritage, Mr. Saunders had a special affection for Poland and the Polish people. Over the years, he made numerous humanitarian visits to his adopted country, delivering medical supplies, educational equipment, and computers. For two summers, he studied Polish language and culture at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and the Catholic University of Lublin. He was an honorary member of the Armii Krajowej, the Polish Home Army of freedom fighters that fought against the Nazis during World War II. He was decorated by the Polish government with one of the highest State honors, the Order Virtuti Militari. He was a major benefactor of the Cistercian Monastery in Wachock, the Wielka Wies Primary School, and the Laski School for the Blind.
Among his many charitable endeavors, Mr. Saunders was instrumental in procuring and renovating the Missionaries of Charity Convent on County Street in 1994. In June 1995, he had the privilege of meeting Mother Teresa at a private reception at the convent when she visited New Bedford.
He is survived by his wife; eight children, Richard T. Saunders, Jr. and his wife Kathleen of Dartmouth, Marie A. Saunders of New Bedford, Atty. Andrew B. Saunders and his wife Atty. Sandra G. Saunders of Fairhaven, Maureen L. O’Toole and her husband Atty. Patrick J. O’Toole, Jr. of Foxboro, Ellen L. Poyant and her husband Jeffrey of New Bedford, Michael A. Saunders and his wife Kirsten of Walpole, William H. Saunders and his wife Myriol of Mattapoisett, and Atty. Christopher T. Saunders and his wife Kimberly of New Bedford; seventeen grandchildren; Patrick, Christopher, Mary, Nora, Caroline, Allison, Matthew, William, Timothy, Jack, Benjamin and Ryan Saunders, Margaret and Elizabeth Poyant, Anne, Caitlin, and Patrick O’Toole; four brothers, Herman R. Saunders and Thomas F. Saunders, both of New Bedford, John W. "Jack" Saunders of Dartmouth, and Daniel J. Saunders of Fall River; two sisters, Mary M. Welch of Lakeville and Joan M. Liarikos of Rochester; and many nieces and nephews.
He was the brother of the late Katherine F. Sullivan, Albert E. Saunders, and Paul F. Saunders.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, December 5th at 10 AM at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery, Fairhaven. Visiting hours will be on Thursday from 2-8 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. Remembrances may be made to Market Ministries, 60 Eighth St., New Bedford, MA 02740.
Article from the Standard-Times 12/2/08
NEW BEDFORD — Friends and associates of Richard T. Saunders remembered him on Monday as a generous humanitarian and family man with an affinity for a good practical joke.
Mr. Saunders, 75, founder in 1967 of the Richard T. Saunders Funeral Home, which later merged with the Dwyer Funeral Home, died Sunday. The news rippled through the city, including its political establishment.
One person after another told of his generosity, which was often private and hidden from view. Former state Sen. William Q. "Biff" MacLean told of how Mr. Saunders, with family connections to the fishing industry, often extended his help to fishing families when they were faced with funeral costs.
"Between the Cape Verdeans and the fishing industry, there were a number of people he buried and never charged. When people were in need, he was there for them," he said. "There was the money he gave to churches in Greater New Bedford to help them with their cause. I could go on and on."
But his biggest personal mission was aiding the Polish people through Friends of Poland Inc., which raised money and donations to send tens of thousands of dollars worth of medical supplies, aspirin and even refurbished ambulances to Poland.
He made about three dozen trips to Poland over the years, and only a handful of those were with the Friends of Poland delegations, said his lifelong friend Joseph Finnerty, director of the New Bedford Housing Authority.
"That's where he got his greatest enjoyment," said former Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz Jr., who is chairman of the group. It was so even though Mr. Saunders was of pure Irish extraction.
"He really did take to Poland," said Mr. Finnerty, who said he knew Mr. Saunders for 60 years, ever since he was a few years behind him at Holy Name School.
"He had a full life and was a man who truly enjoyed life and meeting people. And he did so many things for people over the years. And he was also a practical joker," he said.
Mr. Kalisz said that in political matters, Mr. Saunders was an important behind-the-scenes player who nonetheless was not unfair in his dealings. "In all the time I was on the City Council, he never attacked me," Mr. Kalisz said, even though Mr. Saunders was not at first a supporter of him as mayor.
"When you're mayor and city councilor you attend a lot of funerals. He was always gracious and polite, though he was part of the election machine in New Bedford. He came along in time, and was always respectful and encouraging to me. He was a gentleman, that's the best way of saying it."
Mr. Saunders was a longtime member of the New Bedford Housing Authority board. Mr. MacLean observed, "He is probably the only guy who was appointed by five different governors to the Housing Authority. He loved that job. And he had a tremendous relationship and a good friendship with Joe Finnerty. They were inseparable."
Mr. Saunders, along with Mr. Finnerty, was a constant target of Joaquim A. Custodio, a harsh critic of the authority and a constant presence at meetings, where he called Mr. Saunders "Digger O'Dell."
Monday, Mr. Saunders' friends all remained silent on the real story behind a 1998 incident in which someone impersonated Mr. Custodio in a Boston Herald story about Democrats endorsing Republican A. Paul Cellucci for governor.
The story swept through the city, with several people telling The Standard-Times that Mr. Saunders was behind the prank, which even Mr. Custodio, though angry, admitted was funny.
But when confronted with witnesses, Mr. Saunders only smiled and told a reporter, "You do what you want." He never admitted being behind the gag, but didn't deny it.
On Monday, his friends didn't, either.