Richard Aldrich Bourne, 89, of Sandwich, MA Passed away peacefully Sunday, December 25, 2016 after a short illness. Richard was born in Brockton, MA on May 11, 1927 to Carlton Bourne and Marion (Eldredge) Bourne and grew up in Falmouth, MA. He attended Falmouth schools and graduated from Manlius Military Academy, Manilus, NY in 1945.
In 1945, Richard joined the Marine Corps just 10 days before VE Day. During his service, he was stationed in Tientin (Tianjin) and Peking (Beijing) before returning home in 1946 with an honorable discharge. He returned to the Cape and went to work at Eldredge & Bourne Moving and Storage as Allied Van Lines youngest driver logging over 90,000 miles.
As a young boy, Richard had worked with his mother at her Falmouth antique shop, The Red Barn, and his love of antiques stayed with him. In 1953, he opened Hyannis Auction Rooms in a small addition off the Eldredge & Bourne warehouse. A few years later, he moved to an old cranberry barn in West Barnstable as Richard A. Bourne Company. Along with estate sales, Richard utilized his vast knowledge of Sandwich Glass and sold many collections, even writing a price guide book in 1959. As his business grew he opened a new gallery in Hyannis and expanded the company’s reputation by organizing specialty sales of antique scrimshaw and nautical collectables, antique dolls, antique firearms, American & European paintings, and, perhaps best known, the annual summer decoy auction. He counted celebrities such as Andy Williams, Lee Remick, Gene Rayburn, and the Kennedy family as customers. Richard continued his association with the antiques market after his move to Florida by conducting estate appraisals and working with a local auction company.
Richard also used his knowledge and network to help the community. He assisted Mr. & Mrs. Josiah K. Lilly III in acquiring attractions for Heritage Plantation in Sandwich. The popular antique carousel by Charles Looff from Provincetown, MA and the Old East Windmill from Orleans, MA were located by Richard for the museum as well as numerous items in the museum’s permanent collections. Richard also offered his auctioneer talents to many local charities including the Barnstable and Falmouth chapters of the Heart Fund Association, many church groups, and New England Baptist Hospital.
Richard was predeceased by his wife Claudia (Hayes) Bourne. He leaves behind his first wife Dorothy (Quinn) Bourne, his two sons Thomas C. Bourne and his wife Patricia and William E. Bourne and his partner Roxie Zurbrigen, and four grandchildren Tyler, Paige, Ethan, and Kendra.
Burial will be private with a celebration of his life at a later date. Expressions of sympathy may be made to VNA Hospice of Cape Cod or the charity of one’s choice. Private arrangements are by the Nickerson-Bourne Funeral Home 40 MacArthur Blvd., Bourne.
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Arrangements under the direction of Nickerson~Bourne Funeral Home, Bourne, Massachusetts.
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