OBITUARY: Richard Burroughs

Richard Suppes Burroughs was born in Pittsburgh, PA on November 2, 1929 to Davis Carlisle Burroughs and Nancy Suppes Burroughs. He died at home on January 25, 2023.

When Dick was 3 years old, his family moved to St. Michaels MD; he grew up on a farm on the Chesapeake Bay where family activities included horseback riding and duck hunting with his sisters Emily and Nancy and brother Davis. Dick attended Easton Day School, which was founded by his father, and Brooks School, where he played football and baseball (his jersey was #13 because everyone else on the team refused to wear the number) and was captain of the wrestling team. 

He graduated from Colgate University where he was president of his fraternity Phi Kappa Psi for two years. Dick then joined the army and served in counter intelligence for three years. His first job was with Gulf Oil in Philadelphia; married to Sandra Cannon in 1957’ they had just settled into an apartment when Gulf transferred him to Allentown PA. He from Maryland, she from Florida – they asked “Where is Allentown?” 

In 1963 Dick became a partner in an A/C and heating and Exxon distributorship. When his partner retired, he kept the Exxon portion and owned several Exxon convenience stores/service stations.

Dick and Sandy had three children and the family of five took up skiing and made annual trips to Stowe VT where Dick enjoyed cheese fondue, Rocky King performances and extreme skiing with his 3 children.

He was also an avid scuba diver for 10 years until 1983 when he got the bends while diving off Singer Island, FL. After a long and determined recovery from paralysis, Dick walked with a cane but continued working and took up model ship building (of which he built 27!) and golf, where he used a golf club as his cane. While living in Allentown he was very active at the Church of the Mediator, Valley Youth House and Good Shepherd. 

Upon retirement at the age of 70, they moved to Boca Grande where his sister, Nancy Requardt, and her sister, Anne Fairbanks, both lived. He was a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, the Boca Grande Mens’ Club, and he volunteered at Mote Marine.

He loved going to the Outlet (at the Innlet) where he liked to compete with his favorite waitress for the messiest hair. He also loved traveling, which included two trips to Africa and two trips rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. 

Adored by his grandchildren, he was called “Dick” at his request and will be remembered by his family for games of “Dick Wins,” his distaste of hugs and for being the cutest man in the whole world. Just recently a doctor asked him if he was the nicest man who ever lived, and for those who knew and loved him the answer is a resounding “yes!” Dick is survived by Sandy, his wife of 65 years, children Emily, Minda and James and foster daughter Laurie, granddaughters twins Ashley and Brooke, Hannah, Sierra, Liza, Audrey and Rebecca, foster twins Alexandra and Benjamin and great grandsons twins Malikai and Mateo, Elijah and Ezequiel. His ashes will be spread at sea per his request.