BRUNSWICK – Harold “Harry” G. Rich (U.S. Navy Retired), 94, of Harpswell died on Monday, Jan. 20, 2020 at Mid Coast Hospital. Born in Searsport, on Jan. 2, 1926, he was the youngest of four children of Irving P. and Loretta S. Rich.
He proudly joined the Navy eight days after graduation from Union High School in Union, in 1943. He completed flight training and was commissioned as a naval aviator in June 1946. His 35 years of active service included flying 127 missions to Berlin as part of the Berlin Airlift and serving as Operations Officer on the recovery ship (USS Wasp) for the Gemini 9 and Gemini 12 spacecrafts.
He retired from the Navy in 1978 and returned to Maine, where he resided in Harpswell for over four decades and was active in civic affairs. While living in Harpswell, he served as a member of the  Brunswick Base Closure Task Force in both 1995 and 2005, was a board member of the Cundy’s Harbor Library for 15 years, was a founding member of the Board of Directors and then Director Emeritus of the Brunswick Naval Aviation Museum, and served for nearly 20 years as president and then as President Emeritus of The Friends of Peary’s Eagle Island. In 2018, a street at Brunswick Landing (former Navy Base) was named after him.
He is survived by his three children, Sally Rich and her husband Adam Hewison of Harpswell, Michael Rich of Chuluota, Fla., and Steven Rich and his wife Bonnie of Oveido, Fla.; as well as by his two grandchildren, Kate Fergus and her husband Colin of Columbia, Maryland and Andrew Rich of Chuluota, Fla.
Harry’s family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Avita of Brunswick for all their hugs, kisses, and great care.  
A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Feb. 25 at Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal Street, Brunswick, where condolences may be expressed at stetsonsfuneralhome.com.  
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations be made in his name to:
The Friends of Peary’s Eagle Island
P.O. Box 43
Harpswell, ME 04079 or
Brunswick Naval Aviation Museum
179 Admiral Fitch Drive
Brunswick, ME 04011

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