Richard Loring Child, 84, of East Derry, NH passed away Tuesday July 14, 2020 at Pleasant Valley Nursing Care Center in Derry, after a lengthy illness. He was born July 30, 1935 in Arlington, MA and was a son of the late Loring C. and Mabel F. (Berry) Child. Richard was raised and educated in Derry and had been a resident of East Derry since 1942.
Mr. Child served in the US Airforce and the Air National Guard at Grenier Field in Manchester, NH and Pease Air Force Base in Newington, NH. He was employed by the Dept. of the Army as a civilian Fire Lieutenant with the Fort Devens Fire Department in Ayer, MA for 20 years, retiring in 1993. He was a firefighter with the East Derry Fire Precinct as a Fire Lieutenant, Commissioner, Deputy Chief and firefighter from 1952 to his retirement in 1995. Richard was also a bus driver with several different companies in his retirement. He enjoyed participating in town events and working with the sound system at Calvary Bible Church of Derry, where he was a longtime member.
Members of the family include his loving wife of 58 years, Betsy A. (Estey) Child, of East Derry, a daughter, Sandra A. Child of East Derry, a son and his wife, Loring and Paula Child of Manchester, two grandchildren, James Child and his wife Alison Perkus of Manchester and Johnathan Child of Manchester, a brother and his wife, Kenneth and Alice Child of Hillsborough, NH, a nephew and his wife Fred and Doris Child of Manchester and a niece, Gail Conquest and her husband of Merrimack, NH.
After cremation, a memorial reception was held on Saturday July 18th from 1 to 2:30 pm with a service beginning at 2:30 pm in the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 15 Birch St., Derry. A private burial was in Forest Hill Cemetery in East Derry. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Calvary Bible Church, 145 Hampstead Road, Derry, NH 03038 or to Continuum Hospice Care, 7 Wall Street, Suite 201, Windham, NH 03087.
Due to State of NH guidelines, all guests are required to wear masks and encouraged to social distance.