Richard E. Hutchins

PORTLAND/STRONG – Belatedly reporting that a beloved brother and uncle died Dec. 15, 2019 after a week’s stay at Maine General Hospital in Augusta with siblings by his side.Richard was born at home in Freeman, a son of Gelia Weymouth Hutchins and Emmons E. Hutchins. He grew up in Strong, graduating from Strong High School in 1957 and then Maine Vocational Technical Institute, So. Portland in 1960. He always enjoyed bicycling and helping neighbors. During high school years he was custodian of the Strong United Methodist Church. After completing the Machine Tool Technology Course, he went to work for American Can where he was a Master Machinist until they closed the location on Read Street, Portland. He bought a house on the same street so as to walk to work (always frugal). He continued helping neighbors with snow blowing, doing errands, etc. Richard never met a stranger, enjoyed talking with all. He continued bicycling in Portland and Freeman. He could not skip walking every morning around Back Bay in Portland or at the school in Strong-always starting at 5 a.m.The same group in Strong attended all the church dinners in Franklin county! He was a chef while in the Army National Guard. He enjoyed flying lessons and soloing. He was proud of his collection of 1980 cars, mostly Lincoln Town cars.For many years he was the primary care giver for his mother and then sister, Emmy. For over a year he stayed with sister, Dorothy, while fighting cancer and heart attacks. He enjoyed seeing the countryside in her part of the state. Richard was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Emmonzene Hutchins and brother, Melburn Hutchins and Melburn’s wife Rose.He is survived by a brother, Clinton Hutchins, his wife Gudrun, their son Mark and wife Elizabeth, and their two sons, Aaron and Alex Hutchins; sister Dorothy, husband Wayne, their two sons, Philip and Clifton (wife Lauren) and their sons, Hunter and Nathan Curtis. Also, the daughters of Melburn, Rae Ann Luce (husband Ralph), Debra Swan (husband Bruce), Olivia Morrell (husband Donald), Maureen Abbott (husband Tim) and GailChase Worcester (husband William) and their children. Richard donated his body to MedCure for research.Due to the Covid-19 there will be limited attendance at a graveside service at the Strong Village Cemetery on Aug. 22 (He would have been 83!).


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