Carroll Richard “Dick” Coburn, 93, of Cincinnati, Ohio, passed away July 7.
Dick was born on Jan. 1, 1923 to Carroll C. and Erma (Kutz) Coburn in Norwood, Cincinnati, Ohio. He was raised in Norwood and graduated from Norwood High School.
After high school, Dick’s love of photography led him to study at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. After realizing that a career in a photography studio didn’t satisfy his creative fires, he changed his career path and enrolled at the University of Cincinnati, where he studied Chemical Engineering.
After graduating in 1952, he worked in Cincinnati for Proctor and Gamble, Jergens, Interchemical Corp. and the Clopay Corporation. Dick met his wife, Isabel Tuell Coburn at First Unitarian Church in Cincinnati. They were married Feb. 12, 1955, in Fairhaven. Since his wife longed to return to New England, the family moved to Portland in 1973 where he was employed as projects director by Gorham International.
Upon retirement in 1984, they designed and moved to their dream home on John’s Bay in New Harbor. In retirement Dick remained an avid photographer and enjoyed working in his darkroom and exhibiting his work, winning numerous awards at local and regional galleries. He and his wife both enjoyed traveling the country in their camper “Winnie,” visiting family and friends and researching family history.
Following the death of his wife in 2011, Dick stayed another two years in their home in Maine before returning to Cincinnati in 2013 to live with his son and daughter-in-law.
He was predeceased by his parents and his wife.
He is survived by son, Charles Philip (Chip) Coburn and wife Wendy of Sharonville, Ohio; daughter, Cori Coburn Thurlow of Haverhill, Mass.; grandchildren, Christopher G. Thurlow of Marlborough, Mass., Erin E. Thurlow and husband Sam Johnson of Cambridge, Mass., Molly J. Thurlow and husband Nobuyoshi Shimmen of Tokyo, Japan, and Charles Richard (Chad) Coburn of Cincinnati.
In accordance with Dick’s wishes, there will be no services. His and Isabel’s ashes will be scattered over the ocean.
Memorial donations may be made in his name to the University of Cincinnati Alumni Association; the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, 689 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139-3302; or The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad.