Richard Joseph Spettel

BRUNSWICK – It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Richard Joseph Spettel, on Dec. 4, 2024 at the age of 102. Having outlived all of his peers, he was very close to his children, Chuck Spettel of Hyde Park, N.Y., Rick Spettel of Paradise, Calif. and Bette Spettel of Brunswick, and grandchildren, Kyle Mersereau of Tuckahoe, N.Y. and Ellie Mersereau of Rockland. He had a wonderful community of friends at Thornton Oaks where he lived in a cottage for 13 years.

Richard was born on July 12, 1922 in Newton, Mass. where he lived until he enlisted in the Air Force a few months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Shortly after he was discharged in March of 1946, he enrolled in Columbia University where he earned two business degrees.

In 1950, Dick married Gratia Baird and had a wonderful marriage of 58 years until Gratia’s passing in 2009.

Dick was employed by the international division of the Picker X-ray Corporation as an area manager responsible for worldwide sales in over 30 countries. After 25 years with Picker, he became the international sales manager for Machlett Laboratories, a manufacturer of components of x-ray equipment.

One of his greatest joys was meeting and becoming friends with people all over the world. Everywhere he went people loved his gentle and accepting nature and admired the true gentleman that he was. During this time he designed a summer home in Montauk, N.Y. which his family enjoyed for 25 years. He retired in 1987 after living in Westchester County for 35 years and he and Gratia moved to Florida and later Georgia, where they lived for 22 years.

Some time after losing Gratia, Dick was fortunate to become reacquainted with Mary Jacobs, who he knew in the early 1940s. He and Mary married and moved to Brunswick in 2011 where they lived at Thornton Oaks.

Richard was known for his quick wit and keen mind which he never lost. Always smiling, never complaining, even when macular degeneration took almost all of his eyesight from him. He continued walking his 2 to 3 miles each day throughout Thornton Oaks, sharing dog biscuits with residents’ dogs and stopping to speak with all he met on his walks. He was an inspiration to everyone and we miss him greatly.