Richard Powers

December 12, 1941 – June 6, 1992

MetroWest Daily News Obituary June 1992

Richard D. Powers, 51, died Saturday, June 6, 1992, at New England Deaconess Hospital after a brief Illness. He was the son of Anna (Fitzgerald) Powers and the late Arthur F. Powers Sr.

A lifelong resident of Natick, Powers was the owner of Powers Package Store in Natick. He was active in town affairs and a former Town Meeting and Finance committee member. A veteran of the United States Air Force, Powers was also a member of the Natick Lodge of Elks.

He leaves his wife Mary Ann (Ronchetti) Powers; a son, David R. Powers of Natick; a daughter, Debra A. Powers of Natick; two brothers, Arthur F. Powers Jr., of Natick; and Robert J. Powers of Ashland. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 8:15 a.m. at John Everett and Sons Funeral Home in Natick followed by a Mass at St. Patrick’s Church, Natick. Burial will follow at the St Patrick’s Cemetery.

Visiting hours at the funeral home will be Monday 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.

Expressions of sympathy may be made in Power’s name to St Patrick’s Parish, 44 E. Central St. Natick, Mass. 01760.

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Richard “Pug” Powers

While Pug and I lived about two blocks away from grade school on I didn’t get to really know him until our Natick High School years.

He was an avid sports fan and that’s how we got to know each other. He was a manager on the football team for all 4 years and we started getting acquainted during sporting events. In our Junior and Senior years we were co-managers on the football team.

As most of you know, he loved to play cards also. And there were many good times playing poker and some other crazy card games with a select cast of characters at the kennels in South Natick.

What was not known to many was that his father had passed away when he was young and his mother never remarried. Pug always felt responsible for his two younger brothers, Arthur (Artie) and Robert (Bob). This responsibility was just part of his nature and always impressed me.

And finally, I remember a trip that he and I and ??? took to Bowdoin College a year out of NHS. We visitted Allen Loane, Dick Anderson, and George Williams ??? at their fraternity house. Again, I’m a little hazy on the facts, probably the vodka I consumed after losing my $$$. On the ride back home with Pug driving a black Ford sedan we got into some ‘black ice’ on the Maine Turnpike. We did several 360’s and eventually came to rest on the side of the road. Pug handled the whole experience with his quiet demeanor and we then headed back to Natick at a little slower speed.

God bless Pug and all the others who have passed on before us.

John Dowst

NHS Football Managers – from the archives of John Dowst