Obituary of Richard Stinson, Jr.

Richard Stinson, Jr., age 91, died early in the morning on October 11.

Born in Woodbury, Long Island, he and his brothers Douglas, Wayne, and Wesley grew up in the wake of the Great Depression. Both a high school football star and a talented visual artist, Richard would make a career out of his creativity and know-how.

He married his high school sweetheart, Betsy Van Sise, and together they had two sons, Scott and Todd Stinson. They settled in Huntington Station in a house that Richard helped build. After some years pursuing miscellaneous graphic design work, he took a job in the Motion Picture and Presentation Department of Grumman Aerospace. At Grumman, he created illustrations, directed films, and even invented a system for documenting the thousands of separate parts that made up the Lunar Module. He took a great deal of pride in his work. Many of the people he worked alongside would become life-long friends.

After a second marriage to Bridget Hoban and the birth of a third son, Rick Stinson, Richard retired early and bought an 18th century barn in South Kortright. He transformed it into a house over the course of many years with the help of his wife, sons, and many friends. He served on the local school board, mentored teenagers at the Allen Residential Center, became politically active, and volunteered at the Heart of the Catskills Humane Society. He could often be seen zipping around town in his prized Bugatti kit car.

Richard’s imagination and ingenious pranks were second to none. He loved reading, chess, woodworking, skiing, hiking, and debating religion and politics. Funny and generous to all, he could unerringly see the good side in people. He frequently insisted that ice cream should be classified as its own food group. He is survived by his brothers Wayne and Wesley; sons Scott, Todd, and Rick and their wives Michelle, Betsy, and Sarah; his grandchildren Marissa, Dylan, Cody, Kaitlyn, and Isaac; and his great-granddaughter Grace.

Calling hours will be held at MacArthur Funeral Home in Stamford on Saturday, November 9 from 3–5 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Heart of the Catskills Humane Society, Delhi.