Richard D. Webb "Dick", loving husband, father of two, and grandfather of three passed away peacefully at age 95 on February 6th, 2022.
Dick was born on January 15, 1927 in Yonkers, New York to then British citizens Richard and Lydia Webb. Dick attended high school at Brunswick School in Greenwich, Connecticut and then went on to graduate from Duke University in 1949 with a BA in political science. On January 16, 1954 he married Anne Braitmayer. They began their married life sharing time between Greenwich, Connecticut and Southern Pines, North Carolina. They began summering in Marion, Massachusetts in the mid 1960's. After retirement, Marion replaced Greenwich, and eventually became their only residence. They were together until Anne passed away on October 6th, 2021.
After college, Dick went to work for his father in the New York offices of the British W.D. Bush Company, an essential oils business. He was a natural salesman and entrepreneur, which guided his business story through purchasing the American assets of the Bush company, and later selling them, while creating joint ventures around lemon and lime oils. In 1962 he joined the A. M. Todd company of Kalamazoo, Michigan as a vice president and an investor, adding the citrus business to what had historically been a business focused upon peppermint and spearmint. Dick retired as a director from the A.M. Todd Group in 2002.
Gregarious and outgoing, Dick loved politics, horses, and sailing. He most often acted in politics behind the scenes as the campaign manager for Lowell Weicker's successive and successful bids for Greenwich first selectman, Connecticut state representative, U.S. congress, and U.S. senator for the state of Connecticut. Dick subsequently ran and was elected as second selectman in Greenwich.
Dick's lifelong passion for horseback riding began in his youth when he competed in open jumping classes on his beloved horse, Tops'l. In his late teens Dick competed with Tops'l at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden, earning reserve champion. While a student at Duke, Dick discovered the equestrian community in Southern Pines, where his love for foxhunting was cemented under the wing of Virginia (Ginny) Walthour Moss. In 1964 he became a Joint Master of the Moore County Hounds with Ginny and her husband W. O. (Pappy) Moss. Dick was active nationally in support of foxhunting, and eventually served as President of the Master of Foxhounds of North America. He was a a longtime member of the Beverly Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club and a social member of the Kittansett Club.
Dick and Anne travelled extensively. At the start of their marriage, there were annual visits to England for business, which were accomplished by sea. Dick had a love of the old Queen Mary, on which he travelled as an 8-year-old for her maiden New York-to-London passage. Anne and Dick explored the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and elsewhere in a variety of modes from canal trips to cruises, to equestrian tours.
They also shared a love of the sea. There were a succession of sailboats named Andic, with the nominal homeport of Anne's hometown of Marion, Massachusetts. They cruised and day-sailed in both Connecticut and Massachusetts. Dick enjoyed offshore sailing and participated in nine successive Marion Bermuda races beginning with the inaugural race in 1977. Seven of those races were on board the Karina owned by Anne's twin brother, Jack Braitmayer. These were family affairs with sons, son-laws, and daughters of the two fleshing out the crew.
Dick believed in giving back to the things he loved. In addition to the the Master of Foxhounds Association of North America, he served as president of the board at Brunswick School and president of the board of the Walthour-Moss Foundation.
Dick was preceded in death by his wife Anne. He is survived by his son R. Davis Webb Jr. (Jennifer), his daughter Nancy Webb Corkery (David); his three grandchildren Kevin Corkery (Lucie), Kyle Corkery, and Audrey Webb; and his great grandson William Corkery.
The family wishes to thank Jodie Thatcher and her team at Able Hands Home Services for the extraordinary care and attention they gave to both Anne and Dick.
His private arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the New Bedford Whaling Museum https://www.whalingmuseum.org or the Walthour-Moss Foundation https://www.walthour-moss.org