============================================================================== Richard Daniel Farrell ==================================================================== Following is the text of the Springfield, MA. Daily News newspaper obituary published Friday, December 14,1979. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Richard D. Farrell, Noted Music Director NORTHAMPTON - Richard D. Farrell, 74, of 93 North Main St., proprietor of Richard D. Farrell, dental laboratory, Springfield, died Thursday at home. Born in Turners Fall section of Montague, he lived in Northampton most of his life and was graduated from Northampton High School in 1924. A longtime musician and violinist, he played in the old Court Square Theater years ago, and for a number of years was associated with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. He was director of the Strauss String Ensemble of Springfield and director and organizer of many local concerts. He also was director of the music appreciation courses in the Northampton schools. He was a life member of the Northampton and Springfield Musicians Union. He leaves his wife, the former Marion Burke; two sons, Richard L. of Westfield, and William J. of Ludlow; four daughters, Marion E. Templeton of Westfield, Anne A. Ouimet of Hatfield, Katherine B Ross of Whately, and Martha M. Goodridge of East Longmeadow; two brothers, Lewis J. of Durham, NC, and Atty. Edward J. of Longmeadow; a sister, Alice A. Connor of Plante City, FL, and 14 grandchildren. The funeral will be Monday at John F. O'Connell Funeral Home and Annunciation Church with burial at Calvery Cemetery, Holyoke. ==================================================================== Following is the text of the Northampton, MA. Daily Gazette newspaper article published after Dick's death in December,1979. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Editor's notes One of the virtues of life in a small community is that we are not all strangers to each other. We are friends and neighbors and acquaintances. We were saddened by the death of Dick Farrell, who was our neighbor for several years on North Main Street in Florence, and what a good neighbor he was. He was helpful when he clearly saw help was needed, such as when we painted our house and he was worried the ladder was not steady enough. Dick ambled accross the street to chat, but mostly to make sure we did not fall. When something in the paper would bother him, he would come by and we would chat, but he showed great restraint in not trying to hammer his point of view. And we recall giving him a lift when he was waiting to catch a bus from downtown Florence or having our young friends pitch in with the shoveling after a snowstorm. He took a lively interest in the activities of our boys, and we realize why. We met his children recently and what a wonderful family Dick and Marion raised. No wonder they like young people so much. We were not close to Dick Farrell, but we knew him to be a responsive neighbor, and that can be a special kind of friend. We will miss him. ====================================================================