The son of the late Joseph and Mary Scelso, he was born in Brooklyn, NY on July 20, 1934. He was always a proud, hard-working man. As a young kid, he remembers collecting cardboard on Canal Street in Lower Manhattan just to cash it in for an afternoon at the movies. His first real job in Lower Manhattan was creating photographic plates for a printing company by covering glass and paper sheets with egg whites to make albumen silver prints.
After graduating from the Academy of Aeronautics in Queens, NY, he worked at Lockheed Services for National Airlines at LaGuardia Airport as a licensed airplane mechanic. After moving up to the Hudson Valley in 1971 with his wife Marion and daughters, he began working for Carpenter and Smith in Monroe, NY as an oil truck delivery driver and later as the Head Mechanic for the remainder of his career. After retiring at age 70, he decided to start working at John Deere Tractors in Chester and Goshen, NY, building and testing out new tractors, backhoes and lawnmowers. After retiring again at age 80, he started working for the Pallottine Missionary Sisters of the Catholic Apostolate as a property caretaker, a job he greatly enjoyed until he was 85 years old.
Richard was a dedicated husband, father and grandfather to his family. His family was his primary focus and the purpose for everything he did in his life. He enjoyed sharing stories about his days in the US Army in the 1950’s, where he was an airplane mechanic in Berlin, Germany for planes patrolling the Iron Curtain. He had unique and creative ways to solve just about any mechanical problem. He enjoyed working on helicopters as a hobby and was an FAA certified helicopter mechanic, even going so far as inventing his own specialty tools and wrenches designed for use on helicopters.
Richard is survived by his wife Marion Scelso and his children: Maryjean Domenick, of Rock Tavern, NY, Jennifer Arnold and husband, Bernard of Salisbury Mills, NY and his loving grandchildren: Vincent, Carolyn, Taylor, Justin, Andrew, Spencer, Harrison and great grandchild, Xavier.
A visitation for Richard will be held Sunday, June 18, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, at David T. Ferguson Funeral Home, 20 North Street, Washingtonville, New York 10992.
A mass of Christian burial will occur Monday, June 19, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at St Mary's Church, 42 Goshen Ave, Washingtonville, New York 10992. A burial following funeral mass will occur Monday, June 19, 2023 at St Mary's Cemetery, 2 Fr Tierney Circle, Washingtonville, New York 10992.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.davidtfergusonfh.com for the Scelso family.
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