MYSTIC: Richard Semeraro, the wonderful life companion and love of his wife Dana, took his final journey February 6th, where “neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev.21.4) He was released from his mortal body at Yale New Haven Hospital after suffering a massive stroke three days before. He was 90, born on April 26, 1934 in Paterson NJ, to Beatrice Franzese and Louis Semeraro, both Italian immigrants. His sister, Lee (Rom) Mazzocchia was the oldest sibling, born during the 1918 pandemic which took her father when she was born. His mother remarried and had three sons, Bart (Marcy), Ralph(Marion) and then Dick. He was devoted to Dana Stambaugh Semeraro for almost 43 year of marriage, and to their son, Ken.
Richard was known as “Dick” before moving to Mystic from Manhattan in NYC 20 years ago, when he decided the venerable retirement age of 70 deserved a more “respectable” name! (He would refer to John Updike’s disparaging comment on this!)
Dick graduated from Drew University (NJ) and received a full scholarship to Harvard Law School, class of 1958. He served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the US Army, going on to the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, DC and then a large, private Philadelphia law firm. He moved to NYC in 1968 to become the Director of Labor Relations for New York University, later adding the titles of Associate General Counsel and then Senior Associate Counsel. He retired after 35 years at NYU, and moved to Mystic in 2004.
At Grace Church in lower Manhattan where he and Dana met, he was an active member of the Vestry for many years. Moving to Mystic he and his wife were thrilled to find Christ Church in Westerly, where he served on the Finance and Investment Committees and enjoyed being an usher.
Locally, he was elected to the Groton Representative Town Meeting for two terms, active in the Groton Democratic Town Committee and served on the Groton Library Board and the Board of the Mystic River Historical Society. He dearly loved the Mystic & Noank Library where he read the NY Times, attended events and book groups and started a History Book Club which he led for almost 9 years.
Richard was a gentle soul, thoughtful and kind, cautious and reserved, knowledgeable and analytical, with a prodigious memory and a clever sense of humor. He had a heart for the welfare of others. He leaves wonderful memories with his family, which besides Ken and his wife Jennifer, includes his sisters-in-law Anne Satterthwaite and Marion Semeraro, his nephews Steven (Terry) and David (Barbara) Semeraro, Randolph Jonson (Robyn), nieces Ronnie (Bruce) Pardo, Dana Jonson (Brett), Karen (Art) Glass, Brigida (Mike) Catlin, and Sue (Wally) Knighton, his great nephews Greg and Stephen Pardo along with many more. He was predeceased by his parents and siblings.
A Requiem Holy Eucharist will be held Saturday, March 1st at 11:00am at Christ Church, Westerly RI. All are invited. Instead of flowers, please consider donations to Christ Church, Westerly or the Mystic & Noank Library.