Richard J. Howrigan, Sr. ’56
Richard J. Howrigan, Sr., Fairfield, VT, died January 18, 2025.
Dick was a longtime and very active member of his community and a former Vermont House Representative.
The obituary from his family reflected Dick’s playful wit and personality: “He traveled a long ways to end up back where he started. Born in Colchester …Dick had more degrees than a thermometer. He was educated at the Fairfield Elementary School and was a 1947 graduate of St. Mary’s High School. He left high school for a period to devote his life to chewing tobacco and working on farms. After some ‘wood shed therapy,’ he was sent to Newman Preparatory School in Boston and eventually was a 1956 graduate of Saint Michael’s College. In 1986 he attended Purdue University to complete the instructor program for Real Estate Appraisers. Nonetheless, despite all the education, he still remained as handy as a pocket on a shirt. He was a charter member and first Fire Chief in 1957 of the Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department and was made a lifetime and honorary member.
“He trained at Georgetown University and served in the United States Peace Corp in Ethiopia. He enjoyed teaching English in the rural town of Jimma but was called back to Addis Ababa to help set up the first fire brigade at the Addis Ababa International Airport. Off work in Addis, he became the ad hoc chauffeur to a cousin of Emperor Haile Selassi, who showed him the healing power of tej. After returning from Africa, he went on to teach at St Ann’s Academy in Swanton. He truly enjoyed his time teaching in Swanton. He moved to Boston. He then was an independent appraiser and from 1970 to 1990, he worked for the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency where he held various appraisal positions. Health concerns gave him a solid reason to move back to Fairfield where he quickly got to work on getting a small maple sugaring operation going. From 1990 to 1993 he was a self-employed contract appraiser and community development agent. He also was an appraiser for the Vermont Tax Department, Vermont Highway Department and various lending institutions in Northern Vermont.”
The obituary from the family continues: “Dick could talk two starving dogs off a meat wagon. He served in the Vermont House of Representatives-18th District from 1993 to 2012. He loved serving the people of his district in any way he could. Active in the Fairfield Community, he was Chairman of the Committee to bring municipal water to Fairfield, and development of the elderly housing complex, Chester A. Arthur Apartments.
“He served in the Vermont Army National Guard, was a longtime communicant of St. Patrick Parish, where he was member of the choir and altar server. Dick was also a member of the Fairfield Old Cemetery Association, Vermont Old Cemetery Association, St. Albans Elks Lodge # 1566, Green Mountain Post # 1, American Legion, the Vermont Farm Bureau and former Eagles Lodge in East Fairfield.”
He was a Fellows Club supporter of the College.
Dick’s wife of 42 years, Kathleen Ann (Speer), predeceased him in 2013.
Survivors include his son, Richard “Jim” Howrigan’95 and Jim’s wife, Kathy, who was the director of the Saint Michael’s Fund for the College’s Institutional Advancement Office from 2007 to 2011. Also surviving are a brother, Philip Howrigan ’57.