| Graduation Year | Class of 1950 |
| Date of Passing | Mar 15, 2015 |
| About | Richard Barker Salsman, 82, of Danvers, MA, formerly a long time resident of Hamilton, MA, passed away on Sunday, March 15, 2015. He was born August 1, 1932, in Medford, MA. He grew up in Medford and Bourne, MA, the son of the late George Garrett Salsman and Helen Gladys (Barker) Salsman. His brother Garrett Salsman preceded him. Richard graduated from Bourne High School in 1950, and from Bowdoin College in 1954. He entered the first U.S. Air Force training academy in Lubbock, TX, and he served with distinction as a commissioned officer navigator during the Korean War, stationed in Dover, DE. He completed hundreds of hours of highly classified flying missions all over the world in defense of our country. With the love and support of his wife, Helen, whom he married in 1955, Richard enjoyed a 30+ year respected career in group insurance and employee benefits. He was a regional sales manager in Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago. Returning back to Boston in 1969, he was an insurance broker, and principal, first for the firm of Boit, Dalton and Church, succeeded by Frank B. Hall, and AON. Richard was widely regarded for innovative service and dedication to his many clients throughout New England and New York, namely Textron, Wang Laboratories, Union Carbide, Polaroid, and Gillette. His work ethic and his dedication to Helen and his family were paramount in his moral code. He practiced an honorable and skillfully balanced approach to work and to his family and community. He managed to achieve a successful career while he was always delightfully engaged in the steadfast loving care for Helen and his seven children. In his retirement from insurance, Richard entered into second career for many years as a volunteer in his community and as a teacher at the Shore Country Day School in Beverly, MA. These second career choices provided him great satisfaction and fun, as his true passion in life was in guiding and inspiring young people, and in giving back to others. Retirement also afforded Richard time with Helen to travel, and together they enjoyed the entire U.S. and much of Europe. Richard enjoyed hiking and canoeing with his beloved dogs, Cody and Duke, and he and Helen enjoyed their friends of Hamilton and the north shore and time spent at their home in Harwichport, MA. Richard was an avid reader, a lover of words and debate, an acute puzzle solver, and an early soduko devotee. Yet, he was first and foremost a loving husband to Helen, and gracious father and grandfather. His love and care for Helen and his family was the source of his greatest joy and accomplishment. Richard and Helen mourned the loss of both their treasured daughter Cynthia Salsman in June of 2014, and their grandson Andrew Salsman in December 2013. He was loved and will be missed by a host of extended family and dear friends. Burial services were private. A funeral mass was held on Saturday, March 21st at 9 AM at St. Richards Church on Forest Street in Danvers, MA. The family invited friends to a celebration of Richards life in St. Richards Church hall following the mass. Published in The North Shore Sunday from March 17 to March 24, 2015 |
