Richard D. D'Amato

Richard Donald D’Amato passed away on Saturday, October 29 after a long illness.

Dick was born on May 15, 1937 to Salvatore and Annie D’Amato of Milford. Dick had an idyllic childhood surrounded by love from his parents and brother Jim and a large network of aunts, uncles, and beloved cousins.

From his earliest days attending the little schoolhouse in East Milford, Dick showed an amazing aptitude for mathematics. After graduating from Milford High School with the class of 1955, Dick attended The Bentley School of Accounting and Finance. He graduated in 1957 and began his career at the Milford Cooperative Bank later that same year. When Dick started working at the bank, it was a tiny institution with two on site employees of which he was one. Dick managed the bank and rose up through the ranks to the post of Secretary Treasurer and then became its president in 1977. When he retired in 1996, the bank had grown into a large business on South Street with five branches.

Dick’s other love besides his family and business was baseball. He was a die hard, life long Red Sox fan and was never happier than when his team was doing well. It was the game that he really loved however, and he would go to watch any team, anywhere, often with the company of his cousin Phil Germino.

Cousins Bob, Phil, and Carl played baseball as children against teams from other neighborhoods. Dick remembered all the players and their positions long into his adulthood.

Dick met his wife Nancy Aldrich in 1962. She was a young school teacher working at the Jacques Elementary School and living in a rooming house owned by Mrs Marjorie Bernasconi of Elm Street. Dick did Mrs. Bernasconi’s taxes and she introduced them. They were married on April 24, 1965 and built a home on Beech Street. They were both very proud of their house on the hill and welcomed daughter Dorothy in 1968.

For all the time they lived on Beech Street, Dick and Nancy’s house was a place where friends and family gathered for birthdays, Christmas parties, cookouts, and celebrations of all kinds. Hardly ever quiet, it was full of friends, dogs and cats, neighborhood children, and much love. Dick and Nancy and their daughter spent several weeks each summer with family in York, Maine and remembered their time together there with great fondness.

Dick was born in Milford and he loved the town with his whole heart. He spent his life giving back in whatever way he could. He was a member of the Lion’s Club. He was a long time member and past president of the Rotary Club and greatly enjoyed working on their swim meets. He was a member and past grand knight of the Knights of Columbus. Dick served on numerous town boards and committees including the board of Selectmen, the planning board, the Kaley Fund, and The Milford Historical Society. Dick also served in the US Army and the NH National Guard.

Dick was a life long parishioner of St. Patrick’s Church. He served as an altar boy in his youth and in adulthood as the church treasurer.

Dick was predeceased by his loving wife Nancy who died in 2015 and by his brother James D’Amato in 2003.

Family members include his daughter and son-in-law, Dorothy and John Lagrimas of Westwood, NJ; his grandson, Myles Lagrimas of Westwood, NJ; his sister-in-law, Christine D’Amato of Milford; his nephew, Tony D’Amato of Concord, NH; his niece, Elena Ling of Connecticut, and his nieces, Kathie Cote and Debbie Aldrich of Sugar Hill, NH.

Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Share Outreach, 1 Columbus Avenue, Milford, NH 03055.

In Dick’s memory, take a walk around Milford, the town he so loved. Everywhere you go, you will be walking in his footsteps.