Richard Masterson

Richard Arthur Masterson died on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at the Sarah A. Todd Memorial Home in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He was born in the town of Norwich, New York, on May 23, 1937 as the eldest child of Willard C. Masterson and Helen Byrne Masterson.

Dick's formative years in the small town of Norwich became the road map he would follow for the rest of his life. Norwich would remain his home in his heart no matter where he lived.

He was a self-starter, always on the go. He used to say, with a smile, that he got up early each day to get away from his two younger sisters who drove him crazy! Summers were filled with athletic activities. Daily bicycle rides to take part in the town's summer Athletic Program , free and open to all children, where his love of tennis began. As he got older, he would hitch-hike at the drop of the hat to tennis tournaments throughout New York State. He always credited the generosity of strangers who gave him a ride and sometimes let him stay at their homes overnight.

Dick's father was a former professional baseball player (a pitcher) who instilled in Dick his early love of baseball. Bill, as his dad was called, took Dick (age 10) to see a game at Yankees Stadium and this was a day Dick never forgot. He met and talked to Yogi Berra as he arrived for his first day on the team! Dick said his dad forgave him later when Dick chose to play tennis and golf … they both knew that baseball was not Dick's sport. Dick knew his dad genuinely loved people and saw the best in them. This was a lesson well-learned by his son.

A variety of summer jobs also held lessons for Dick. As the local paperboy, he had the chance to meet people he didn't know face to face and knew where they lived. He said he better understood what it felt like to live in a small town. Plus, he knew the name of every street in Norwich. Dick learned of the dignity in hard work as he saw the perseverance in the older men he worked with at his summer job with the Norwich Highway Department. One of his most lucrative summer jobs was as a golf caddy at the Canasawacta Country Club for the Pastor at St. Bartholomew's Church.

Dick joked that the priest sure played a lot of golf. He did tell Dick how to win at golf …"cheat"! True story. The altar boy in Dick never forgot.

Dick always credited his academic success to the high standards first set by his teachers, the Dominican nuns of St. Paul's Elementary School in Norwich. Dick graduated with honors from Norwich High School. He attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire (on a full academic scholarship) and subsequently graduated from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.

Dick's early respect for country and his deep-rooted patriotism encouraged him to serve his country for six years as a member of the New York Air National Guard in Syracuse, New York. He served two tours of active duty with the United States Air Force, one overseas in Germany.

Dick majored in Sociology in college and his interest in understanding the human condition blossomed. He chose to work in the field of Human Resources, first as a personnel manager with the Union Carbide Corporation in central Indiana and later with a smaller, privately owned company in the Chicago suburbs. Up for a challenge, Dick attended law school (with the help of the G.I. Bill) in the evenings after work and earned his J.D. degree from what is now known as the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. He later gained admission to the New York Bar. When his father died, Dick interrupted his career plans to come back to Norwich to help his mother who was taking care of his younger sister, Shaleen. He would continue to care for his sister as she suffered for the rest of her life from schizophrenia.

Norwich would remain his home in his heart for yet another reason. During this time Dick went to a high school reunion with a blind date, a girl from Norwich, a classmate of his sister, Shaleen. He took a chance. He later said he was glad he had stayed in touch with his classmates all those years as this blind date stole his heart. Juliana Daily and Richard Masterson were the definition of "opposites attract" yet they were kindred spirits in what mattered in life, in their faith and strongly held beliefs and in their soft hearts. They knew how fortunate they were to have found one another later in life. Dick never knew that his mother, Helen, had "paid" Juliana to take him off the streets! Little did he know that he would also be a life long gardening partner with Juliana … pick ax and all! They married on September 3, 1977. Dick was age 40 and Juliana was age 31. Dick had found his dance partner. Of course, they honeymooned in Cooperstown, New York, the location of the Baseball Hall of Fame and his dad would have loved the irony.

The time came for Dick to combine his affinity for the human condition with his love of the law. As a federal government attorney, he worked first at the Immigration and Naturalization Services at the Headquarters in New York City. Dick then served as an Administrative Judge at the National Headquarters of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington, D.C. Dick co-authored the Manual for the Administrative Processing of Federal Sector EEO Complaints for the Federal Bar Association and was a Contributing Writer for Schlei and Grossman, Employment Discrimination Law. He was the Equal Opportunity Complaints Manager at the National Headquarters of the U.S. Department of the Interior also in Washington, D.C. Dick enjoyed the challenge of making a difference in the lives of individuals within the spirit of the law.

These are some of the facts of Richard Masterson's life. His friends and family will remember him for the characteristics and qualities that defined his life and that he willingly shared with them. His easy smile and quiet, calm demeanor belied the devilish joy beneath. He was a steady man you could always count on yet he knew when to take chances in life. He was a strong competitor who would aim for the trees if he thought he could make that "hole in one". He made three during his golfing days! Somehow, you didn't mind losing to him because you enjoyed his company. Friends and family who played golf and tennis saw his can-do attitude at its best. As the captain of a tennis team in Carlisle, he played every point as if it was match point! Dick played in many golf tournaments with his father-in-law over the years and they were an "odd couple" to say the least. Dick aimed for those trees and his father-in-law played straight down the middle. Sometimes it worked and they won! Dick enjoyed playing golf and tennis with his sister-in-law because he knew she would challenge him and he loved that. He found the time one summer to teach his neighbor how to play golf, no questions asked. He loved encouraging his brother-in-law's young son to play tennis. He gave him his tennis racket and tennis balls (by the bag full) because he recognized that the young man had the talent and drive to go far.

Dick's love of music took many forms. His baritone voice knew the words of every song (of a certain vintage) ever written. He played the piano, mostly jazz, and loved listening to the music of the great composers of the 1940's and 1950's. Always the entertainer, Dick enjoyed playing significant roles in a number of civic theater productions. That fine voice found success in debating competitions at the inter-scholastic and inter-collegiate levels and engaging in public speaking as a member of Toastmasters International.

Dick Masterson was a good man who was thankful for the gifts he had been given in life. He understood the importance of giving back to those who were not as fortunate. For a ten year period later in his life Dick volunteered his time preparing income tax returns for seniors as a member of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). He said he often thought of his mother as he helped many older women sort through the complications of income tax filings. Dick never waivered in his support of the mother he greatly loved and admired. Helen was a woman of great faith and strength of character and she encouraged her son to reach for the stars.

Dick had dealt with serious health challenges later in his life. Each was met with his characteristic positive attitude, his faith in God and the courage he had to let it be. Several years ago, Dick learned he had Parkinsonism. This was a tough one and he knew it. He was fortunate to have found the Parkinson Voice Project, a nonprofit organization that is solely dedicated to preserving the voices of those with Parkinsonism. He was the first person to take part in the local Speak Out program in Carlisle. Years of practice both at home and with the Loud Crowd therapy program gave him more time to use that wonderful voice of his.

Richard Masterson remained to the character that was forged in his early years. The lessons learned of faith, humility, perseverance, hard work, independence and the respect for others stayed with him. His innate sensitivity to his own feelings and those of others allowed those who knew and loved him to feel accepted and enjoyed for their own selves. They saw his joie de vivre in his cheerful and spirited way of living life. Dick was the first to say that he was an imperfect human being. He would often remind Juliana, " You are a child of God", and he was.

This remembrance has tried to capture the essence of the man, Dick Masterson. He was a small town boy who met the many challenges of the larger world beyond and succeeded. His life was one of many blessings and some heartache. He lived it fully knowing it was a gift from God. That small town of Norwich in upstate New York has brought him home.

Richard Masterson is survived by his wife of forty-seven years, the former Juliana Daily of Norwich, now of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He is survived by two nieces and a number of cousins. He was pre-deceased by his younger sister, Donna Hackett Hall of Atlanta, Georgia and by her son (his nephew), Roger Hackett, also of Georgia and by his other sister, Shaleen Masterson of Vestal, New York.

A private burial service and interment will take place at St. Paul's Cemetery in Norwich, New York.

Arrangements are with the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home.