March 21, 1933 – December 23, 2024
Richard Albert “Dick” Wernick passed away peacefully at his home on December 23, 2024. He was 91 years old, and the beloved husband of Irene N. (Nadig) Wernick, with whom he shared over 71 years of marriage.
Born on March 21, 1933, in Madison, Wisconsin, Dick was the son of Herbert “Shorty” Wernick and Lucy (Wheeler) Wernick. He was baptized and confirmed at Eastside Evangelical Lutheran Church in Madison and graduated from Madison’s East Side High School in 1951.
Dick and Irene met in their youth when they played the accordion together as students and then teachers at Patti Music Co. in Madison, WI. They married on June 20, 1953, shortly after Dick began his military service.
Dick attended the University of Wisconsin before being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953, where he served as a radar repairman during the Korean Conflict. After his service, he pursued his passion for aviation, earning an Airplane and Powerplant Mechanic License and attending professional pilot school at Purdue University.
Over the years, Dick’s career took the family across six states, moving ten times between military service and his work with American Airlines. He began as a mechanic and then became a pilot, later becoming a check pilot and Flight Manager. He retired as the Area Director of Flight Operations for the Eastern Division, operating out of LaGuardia Airport, after 33 years of dedicated service.
Dick’s talents and interests were as varied as his career. He was known for his mechanical abilities and could fix anything. He loved music, playing the accordion throughout his life, and enjoyed designing both interior spaces and landscapes. Dick loved the water, whether boating, swimming, or simply spending time near the ocean, lakes, or pools.
Dick and Irene made their home on Long Island in 1966, where they raised their family and became active in their community and church. They were members of St. Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church before retiring to Sarasota, Florida. In retirement, Dick remained deeply involved in the Episcopal Church of the Nativity, serving as property manager and designing the church’s two-acre Memorial Garden.
In addition to his wife, Irene, Dick is survived by his four daughters: Deborah L. Bender and her husband Mark of Amherst, NH; Diane R. Wernick and her wife Eleanor Shavell of Watertown, MA; Donna M. Wink and her husband Christian of Colchester, CT; and Dawn C. Jackson and her husband Mark of Wakefield, MA. He also leaves behind his grandchildren: Zachary Bender and his wife Marieke, Elisha Fontana and her husband Chris, Jason Bender, Taylor Wink, Emma Wink, and Henry Jackson, and step grandchildren Susan Dorfman and her husband Jeff, Alison Elliott and her husband Jack, his great-grandchild Clara Fontana and step great-grandchildren Adina and Sam Dorfman.
He was predeceased by his siblings and their spouses, Donald Wernick and his wife Eleanor, Ruth Carl and her husband Robert, Marion (Nomeyko) Sodergren and her husband Frank, and Sandra Siehr and her husband Jim.
Donations in his memory may be made to: Alzheimer's Association at ALZ.ORG
Thursday, January 9, 2024 all are welcome to attend his funeral at 11 a.m. at all Saints Episcopal Church, 10 Billerica Road in Chelmsford, MA.