Richard “Dick” Darcey, age 89, passed peacefully on Sunday, February 15, 2026. Dick was born in Flushing, NY on April 5, 1936 to Charles Darcey and Lillian Vogel. He enjoyed a happy childhood growing up in Freeport, NY alongside his sister, Ruth Machiran. The family, often joined by their close cousin, Joan Monahan, took many long road trips up the coast on U.S. Route 1, vacationing in New England and Canada. Lake Sebago, ME was a particular favorite. Dick cherished summers on the white sand beaches of the south shore of Long Island even working at the Jones Beach amphitheater as a teenager.
After graduating as his high school class salutatorian, Dick studied engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY as a member of the U.S. Navy ROTC program. While in school, Dick was an avid lacrosse player. He was quite proud of the scar on his back from the time that James Brown ran over him during an RPI-Syracuse game. Upon graduating from RPI, he served three years of active-duty service as a commissioned Ensign in the U.S. Navy. Dick served as the engineering officer on a destroyer overseeing a crew of 70. He relished his time in the Navy, forging lasting friendships and experiencing different parts of the world including travelling to Scandinavia and the Mediterranean.
After completing his term, he declined an offer to extend his time in the Navy and enrolled at Harvard Business School, setting his life on a new course. Just days after leaving the Navy, he met Brenda Giombetti, his future wife. On a fateful night in September 1961, Dick met Brenda at a party on Beacon Hill. A few months later, Dick invited Brenda to join him to see a production of The Music Man. Fortunately, Brenda was eager to see the show. Their relationship blossomed, and they were married in June 1963.
Dick and Brenda began their married life in the suburbs of New York City, where they raised three children – James, Gail, and Adrienne. Dick’s work for Exxon, spanning 30 years and various roles, took him to different parts of the world including South America, the Middle East, and Europe. The family enjoyed a few years living in London and traveling through Europe. When not working, Dick was a keen skier and an enthusiastic fisherman. Ski trips were a family affair with everyone hitting the slopes in the Northeast, the Rockies, and the Alps. Dick enjoyed fishing trips with his buddies across the East Coast, Canada, and Casco Bay, ME. As their children went off to school, Brenda and Dick moved to Dallas, Williamsburg, Boston and then eventually Brunswick, ME, closer to their summer cottage on Orr’s Island. Brenda and Dick enjoyed traveling, especially to visit with their beloved granddaughters, Bianca (Vicenza, Italy) and Lillian (NYC).
Dick will be dearly missed by his children (James & wife Patrizia Guadagnin, Gail, Adrienne & husband Eric Smith), granddaughters (Bianca and Lillian), and extended family. A gathering to celebrate Dick’s rich life will be held by the ocean this summer in Maine. Donations in memory of him can be sent to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America www.alzfdn.org .
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