Richard S. Clough

Richard S. Clough, 83, of Marblehead, passed away peacefully of natural causes on October 23rd 2010 surrounded by his loving family. “Dick” was born in Brookline, the youngest child of Micajah Pratt and Dorothy Sanborn Clough of Marblehead.

Dick graduated from Marblehead High School in 1947, and was the last male cheerleader at MHS. He also attended Babson College in Wellesley for two years. At the age of 21 he met and married Shirley Beckford of Danvers (which was “the best thing he ever did”). Dick spent much of his childhood vacationing in Maine and New Hampshire, and his “dream” was to “have a house on the lake”. This dream was realized in 1983 when the family purchased a beautiful condominium on Lake Winnipesaukee in Melvin Village. He loved boating on “Down Bucket” and was later certified as an officer in the NH “Marine Patrol”.

Dick worked a number of occupations and found his calling at Willard D. Martin where he enjoyed working as a real estate agent. Dick had a passion for “old Marblehead” and could often be found playing cribbage at the Market Square, poker “up the Gerry”, or, for over 25 years, faithfully “going to a meeting” with Bill W. and all his friends. Dick had a warm smile, a great sense of humor, was always the first to strike up a conversation and was a talented storyteller and public speaker. Over his lifetime, Dick had a number of health problems but always bounced back to beat the odds. His children, to whom he was very generous, often said that “he had nine lives”.

Dick is survived by his wife Shirley, who loved him “for better and for worse” during their 61 years of marriage; by his four children, Deborah C. Prentice of Salem; Jeffrey C. Clough and his wife Patrice of Swampscott; Stephen R. Clough and his wife Lynn of Bedford, NH; and Elizabeth C. Kitslaar of Glen Ellen, IL; and four grandchildren, Daniel, Tim, Sarah Kitslaar, and Sean Clough. He was pre-deceased by his sister Dorothy, and his brothers, Micajah III and Jack.

A funeral service will be held at the Eustis and Cornell Funeral Home, 142 Elm Street, Marblehead on Thursday, October 28 at 10AM. Burial to follow in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Danvers. Relatives and friends respectfully invited. Visiting hours will be on Wednesday from 5-8PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Richard Clough at North Shore Medical Center, Cardiac Care Unit, Salem Campus, 81 Highland Avenue, Salem, MA 01970.