Hoosick Falls – Richard Forrest Danforth, 72, of Hoosick Falls, NY, passed away at his home on Thursday, March 27, 2014. Born on February 20, 1942 to Ruth (Myers) Danforth and Forrest E. Danforth, he was the eldest of six children. Dick attended Hoosick Falls Schools, graduating in the class of 1960. He later went on to join the National Guard unit located in Hoosick Falls. He held many jobs during his lifetime including being a carpenter’s helper to his father and making furniture at Cushman’s in North Bennington, VT. He finally retired from a longtime position at Oak Mitsui in Hoosick Falls.
He was a proud member of the Green Island Rod and Gun Cub and the Catamount Archery Club. Throughout his years, Dick was lucky enough to live his passions, every day! The biggest being his passion for hunting. If he wasn’t hunting, he was talking about it. If he wasn’t talking about it, he was buying, selling or swapping for it, always planning his next hunt. Over the years, he acquired quite a collection of cherished guns, ammo and archery equipment. Although he hunted in many states, he was at his best and most at home either at McAuliffe’s campsite or on Willbrant’s mountaintop. Many hours were spent, usually while sitting amongst friends at the Falls Diner, talking about his successful hunts but especially of the ones that got away! His days always began and ended at “the Diner.” If he hadn’t been there yet, his day hadn’t begun. You’d often see his 4-wheeler in the back of his truck, and you knew that he was headed for the woods, a place where he felt most comfortable. Dick had a reverence for nature and was never more at peace than in the woods.
Ever resourceful and always “the tinkerer,” Dick also enjoyed the hunt for a good bargain or the perfect part while restoring one of his many old cars, his favorite being a 1965 Chevy Chevelle. For their 21st birthdays and in honor of their birth years, he restored cars for both of his daughters, a 1966 Chevy Impala for Billie-Jo and a 1969 Chevy convertible Camaro for Trisha. He even “picked” a 3-wheeled cycle out of an old barn and restored it for his granddaughter Romy. With an adventurous spirit, Dick travelled often throughout the states and across the country, living for a while in New Mexico, Florida and, lastly, Oregon to be closer to his daughters and their families, ultimately returning home to the area that he knew and loved so well. To be outdoors he took up golf in his retirement years, and he found out that he actually liked that “goofy game.”
Dick touched and blessed our lives as a son, a brother, a father, an uncle and a friend. He fulfilled those roles with the greatest sense of moral character, with integrity, with intelligence and with generosity. The simplicity with which he led his life was not only to be admired but to be envied. He was a man of few words, but in those words you heard his wisdom or his humor, and his infectious smile could light up a room, especially when he spoke of his passions, his girls or his grandchildren.
He is survived and will be greatly missed by his siblings, Barbara Wrubleski and husband Ray, Janet Willbrant and husband Doug, Diana Kipp and husband Jeff, Ronald Danforth and Gary Danforth and his wife Ellie, his daughters, Billie-Jo (Danforth) Ameika and husband Tom of Lake Tahoe, NV, and Trish (Danforth) Raziano and husband Bobb, grandchildren, Romy and Luca Raziano of Sun Valley, ID, several nieces and nephews, and his lifelong best friends, “cousin” Bill Danforth and wife Rita and Bill Grennan and wife Pat. No stronger bond could be made than when the three of them were together. They were truly best friends for life, best friends forever.
In keeping with the humble, understated way that he led his life, a private service was held at Mahar’s Funeral Home in Hoosick Falls. A celebration to honor his life followed immediately afterward at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. To those of you who were saddened to hear of Dick’s passing and could not be with us, fear not, he rests in peace, as handsome as ever and with that impish grin on his face that we all knew and loved. Just remember him the next time you are in the woods or raise your glass of chocolate milk to him. That would be enough. If you would like to donate to the Green Island Rod and Gun Club or the Catamount Archery Club in Dick’s name, send to Mahar Funeral Home, 43 Main St., Hoosick Falls, NY, 12090.