GLOUCESTER: Richard Kenneth Nutbrown, skilled artisan, Navy veteran and longtime Gloucester resident, passed away peacefully at Addison Gilbert Hospital on June 10, 2010.
Richard was born on June 11, 1920, in Springfield, MA. He made Gloucester his home after serving in the Navy during World War II. Richard served from 1939 to 1946, mainly as a submariner. His years as a submariner had a profound effect on him. He spoke proudly of his time aboard the primitive WW I S-Boat submarines, which had no creature comforts, during the early days of WWII. Later during the War he served aboard the “modern” Fleet Boat submarines.
After the War, Richard went to work for the Gloucester DPW as a mechanic, where he stayed until his retirement. Richard was blessed to have been married to two wonderful women, to whom he devoted himself. His first wife, Betty Nutbrown, passed away in 1977. He later met and married Renee Gross-Nutbrown, who passed away in 2007.
Richard was a talented artist and skilled craftsman. He is known best for his wood carvings of ducks and other waterfowl, which progressed through the years from a striking primitive style to his later work in which each feather was burned in, creating such a lifelike effect that when you look at each bird, you expect it to come alive and take flight.
Richard will also be remembered for “the airplane” -- a full-scale model WWI Nieuport 17 biplane with a wood rotary engine in front and two sets of cloth wings that spanned over 25 feet. Much to Richard’s delight, many a small plane dropped down for a look at this full-size airplane in his East Gloucester backyard.
Richard had great energy and spent his days in retirement well. If he was not wood carving, he was repairing an engine or making some new modification to the airplane. He was both proud of his work and exceedingly humble about his own talents. Richard lived and loved well. He will be missed by his family and friends.
He is survived by a sister, Norma Baker, and her husband Warren of Southwick, MA; stepchildren Mate Gross, Joe and Judi (Moser) Gross, Tony and Abbie (Lundberg) Gross, Gretchen (Gross) Graziano and her former spouse, Thomas Graziano, numerous step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his two wives, Richard was predeceased by his brother Wesley Nutbrown.
A remembrance in celebration of Richard’s life will be announced at a future date. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Katherine E. Nutbrown Scholarship Fund c/o June Michaels P.O. Box 244 Rockport, MA 01966.