Richard E. Rossiter, 71, died on Sunday, July 17, 2016, from a probable heart attack.
Rick was born on April 24, 1945, in Cambridge, MA. He grew up in Bedford, NH and was a Manchester West High graduate, class of 1963. As with his father, and grandfather before him, he established final residence in Kittery, ME living on Gerry Creek. He was the first Code & Plumbing Inspector for the Town of Kittery in 1975 and had a Maine residential electrical license. He became the Kittery Superintendent of Highway in 1978, and in 1981 became the Commissioner of Public Works, a position he enjoyed until his retirement in 2009, after 34 years of service with the Town of Kittery.
Having gotten a degree in Turf Management at Univ. of Mass, and subsequently a Master Gardener certificate, established him as “mister consultant” by his gardening friends.
Rick was a wonderful golfer, achieving the State of NH Junior Medalist in 1961. Rick was not a religious person and marched to his own drum. He was a “Buy and Build” person with a strong personality which typified his entire life.
Surviving relatives have been very impressed with the warmth of friendship and the local recognition and regrets of all contacted Kittery residents we met. He enjoyed being your conservative Commissioner. His love of dogs was unlimited and he has requested his ashes to be buried at an established location of his previous dogs. He will be joining his very long time sweetheart (deceased) Karen Goodwin with a headstone and burial on the Gerry Creek property next to her bench, together with his dog, Busch.
Thank you Kittery residents – you really filled his life! For those of you that were hunting and firearms sharing friends, his ashes will be placed in a sealed military ammunition box. He was a landowner and made numerous friends during his extended visits to Perham, ME.
He is survived by his brother, William Kent Rossiter and wife, Ruthann Rossiter of Bremerton, Washington; his nephews, Kent Rossiter and wife Tomoko Rossiter, of Hong Kong, RPC, and Timothy Rossiter and wife, Alysse Anton, of Burlington, VT, his niece, Lynn E. Renaud and husband John C. Renaud, Jr. of Bedford, NH; and several grandnephews and grandnieces. He is predeceased in death by his son, Michael Rossiter of Kittery, ME and brother, Scott I. Rossiter of Bedford, NH.
A private ceremony with family and close friends will be held at a future date. In the interim, raise a Busch to Rick! Online condolences may be made, a card sent and a memorial video viewed by visiting www.jspelkeyfuneralhome.com. Care for the Rossiter family has been entrusted to the JS Pelkey Funeral Home.