Richard Alfred Acey, also known by many during his career as Dick (a nickname that, to this day, his daughters are not fond of), passed away on November 2, 2023, at the age of 85, in Cape Coral, Florida.

He was born on November 29, 1937, in Salem, Massachusetts, to Richard Alfred Acey and Emily Malecka. His father died when Richard was just 2½ years old, so he never assumed Jr as part of his name.

After graduating from King George (Va.) High School (where he was class president), Richard was accepted to MIT but unable to attend, so he enlisted in the US Air Force. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was trained as a computer programmer and this started his love affair with computers.

He started his civilian work life working for C.F. Hathaway Shirt Company in Maine and then spent most of his career working for Warnaco in Bridgeport, while living in Newtown, heavily involved with IBM machines and software. He ultimately managed all divisional computing.

This didn’t stop him from dabbling on the side with Apple Macintosh and LISA computers and retail bar codes. He also served on the Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission and was a member of the Lions Club. He also developed a passion for photography, set up a darkroom, and passed his love of photography on to his children, who appreciate that film developing is no longer involved.

In 1985, he moved across the country when he was hired by the Santa Barbara Research Center (Calif.), where he eventually assumed administrative duties for all the computer departments. He went on full-time disability in 1993 for health reasons. He truly lived and breathed computers.

He never lost his love for computers, as evidenced by how many he had in his possession at his death. He never did get to finish that big money-making idea he’d pursued for years, though he would never reveal what it was to anyone.

And we cannot talk of Richard without talking coffee. He called it his “nectar of the gods.” No matter where he lived, he made daily treks out to get coffee and camaraderie.

Having long been on disability following a heart attack and two triple bypass surgeries, his daughters expected he would pass with his face on a computer keyboard with a coffee in his hand. Once again, he surprised them. Upon his retirement, he moved to Culpeper, Va., where he lived until 2021. He helped many with computer projects during those years and drank much coffee.

We will always carry his inner little boy and lover of all gadgets with us, while he’ll share with Margaret news of the kids and grandkids and how much the world has changed in the last 33 years since she left it.

Richard is survived by his three daughters, Diane L. Richard (David) of Raleigh, N.C., Deborah Acey Heinrich of Fort Myers, Fla., and Christine O’Grady (John) of Sandy Hook; and his five grandchildren: Alysia A. Richard of Raleigh, N.C., Galen W. Richard (Erin O’Brien) of Ellicott City, Md., Kayla (O’Grady) Blais (Gabriel) of Bridgewater, Conn., Rachel O’Grady of Sandy Hook, and Corey T. Heinrich of Orlando.

In addition to his immediate family, Richard is survived by his sister Nancy (Acey) LeDuc (Bernie), Danvers, Mass.; half-siblings Elaine Vaughan (Randy), King George, Va., and Thomas Lee Marshall III, Stafford, Va.; his brothers-in-law Ian Fountain and Neil Fountain (Carolyn), both living in England; as well as nieces and nephews Nancy Ann (LeDuc) Doane, Mark LeDuc, Peter LeDuc, Beth (Vaughan) Wilson (Jon), Lynn (Vaughan) Pardee (Jeff), Suzi (Fountain) Nicol (Robert), and Andrew Fountain (Priscilla); grand nieces and nephews, and a special step-grandchild, Kate (Hall) Bozeman.

Richard was predeceased by his wives, Margaret Joyce (Fountain) Acey (1990) and Catherine Louise (White) (Hall) Acey (2016). He was also preceded in death by his sister-in-law, Elizabeth (Hoon) Fountain (2013), his stepdaughter, Jacquelyn Dawn “Jackie” Hall (2022), and his grand-nephew, Dana B. LeDuc (2022).

At this time, no memorial service is planned to honor Richard’s life, though a small private service will take place in the future in Salem, Mass., where his father is buried and where he wished his ashes to be placed; father and son again together.

To honor Richard’s memory, consider donating to the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Hope Hospice (Cape Coral, FL; hopehospice.org/donate/) or the hospice of your choice.