Richard M. Barton, of Topsham, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 10, 2020 at Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick. He was 80 years old.
Growing up in Salem, Mass. and Marblehead, Mass., Richard (Dick) was an avid sailor. He raced one-designs and enjoyed cruising with his family. Over the years, he held memberships at Pleon Yacht Club, Eastern Yacht Club, and Hopetown Sailing Club. Always a passionate sailor, Dick’s favorite sailing spot was John’s Bay in Pemaquid.
Dick graduated from Choate School and then studied at The Universite de Montpellier. He worked for the family-owned game company, Parker Brothers, in Salem, Mass. Then, turning to his interest in travel, he managed The House of Travel in South Hamilton, Mass. For a time he lived in the Pemaquid area. During that time, he served on the board or committees of seven nonprofits. Dick was a writer who was published in Wooden Boat Magazine and had recently completed a novel based on his experiences living in the Abacos, Bahamas. He attended Bread Loaf Writers Workshops and over time was a member of multiple writers groups in the Midcoast Maine area.
Whether at sea or on land, Dick most loved spending time with his extended family. “Grampa Dick” was a proud grandfather of five granddaughters and three stepgranddaughters. His family loved listening to him play both the piano and accordion, as he was an accomplished musician.
Richard is predeceased by his parents, Robert B.M. Barton and Sally Parker Barton, formerly of Marblehead, Mass.; his nephew, Sam King; and niece, Isabelle Young.
He is survived by his son, Brad Barton and his wife Kimberly Barton and their daughters, Brittany Barton, Katie Barton, and Ashley Barton of New Cannan, Conn.; his daughter, Sigrid Orne and her husband Steve Orne of Marblehead, Mass., and their daughters, Eliza Orne of Burlington, Vt. and Lindsey Orne and her fiance Steve Rahr of Victor, Idaho; his stepchildren, David McCandless and his three daughters of Jackson, Wyo., and Jennifer McCandless and her husband Dinesh Perera of Santa Barbara, Calif.; his brother, Randolf Barton and wife Maudie Barton of Andover, Mass.; his sister, Sally Mann of Topsham; and his brother-in-law, Bill King of Topsham; as well as six beloved nephews and their families.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to either The Carpenter’s Boat Shop in Bristol, carpentersboatshop.org/support; or The Man-O-War Relief Fund: Man-O-War Cay, Abaco, Bahamas, mowrelief.com.
