In Memory of Richard L. Hutchins (Hutch)

Obituary

Richard L. Hutchins (Hutch) passed away at home peacefully surrounded by his loving family on April 23, 2025. He was born on July 6, 1940, to Elmer E. and Lillian (Oeinck) Hutchins.

On September 7, 1963, he was married to his high school sweetheart, Jacqueline (Jackie) R. Pierce. Those who knew Dick knew how much he loved baseball and the Yankees. When he and Jackie moved to Whitesboro in 1966, they found a house at the corner of Mantle Drive and Berra Lane and immediately knew it was their forever home.

Graduating from UFA in 1958, he continued his education at MVTI. He started his working career at a young age mowing lawns and delivering papers. In 1956, he started working at ACME Market in New Hartford. In 1962, he began his career at Niagara Mohawk as a meter reader and retired as a Supervisor in Power Delivery in 1994. He often said that he loved his job at “Ni Mo” and his best days there were spent working with “The Crew,” which included Joe Spilka, Dick Owens and Greg Eichler. He was a member of Maynard United Methodist Church where, up until his illness, he was the Administrative Director. For many years, he was a member of the Retirees Club, the 25 Year Club of Niagara Mohawk, and the Mohawk Valley Bottle Club.

Dick was a kind and caring man who, above all, loved his family. Over the years, he enjoyed spending the summers with his family and on his boat, the “Swamp Fox,” at camp in Otter Lake and on the St. Lawrence River. He leaves his wife Jackie of 61 years and their children, Richard Scott and his wife Michele, daughter Robyn and her husband Anthony Grieco, and son-in-law Angelo Simone. He spent countless hours enjoying his grandchildren; Garrett Hutchins, Olivia Simone, Hannah Kulik, and Matteo Grieco. He also leaves behind his niece and nephews; Denise Barbato and her husband Al, James and Cindy LaFountain, Thomas and Susan LaFountain, David Vanderpool and Amy, Andrew Vanderpool and Tracy and their families, sister-in-law Anne Vanderpool, as well as close family friend Bill Olsen. He is predeceased by his beloved daughter Kristen Hutchins in 2008, his parents Elmer and Lillian Hutchins, in-laws Robert and Hilda Pierce, his sister and brother-in-law Doris and Fred LaFountain, his sister-in-law Margo Vanderpool and brother-in-law David Vanderpool, and grandson Francis Richard Hutchins.

His family would like to extend their utmost gratitude to Betty Rieben for her help during his illness.

Calling hours will be Monday, April 28th from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Friedel, Williams & Edmunds Funeral and Cremation Services, 13 Oxford Rd., New Hartford, NY. Funeral services will take place Tuesday at 10:00 AM at Maynard United Methodist Church, 9639 Maynard Dr., Marcy, NY.

Memorial contributions may be made in Dick’s memory to the Believe 271 Foundation, the Whitesboro Fire Department, and Maynard United Methodist Church.

For online expressions of sympathy go to fwefh.com.