Richard H. Needham
Passed Away May 29, 2019

Richard H. Needham

Richard Hale Needham of Shelter Island, New York died Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at home on Country Club drive. He was 89 years old. Richard was born to Elizabeth and Basil Needham on February 6, 1930 in New York City. An avid sailor who grew up in Bayside, New york, he sailed Comets on Little Neck Bay. He continued sailing in high school, attending Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts.

After graduating from Tabor, he attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, leaving to join the Navy during the Korean War. There he spent four years as a radarman aboard the USS Lloyd Thomas.

In later years he thoroughly enjoyed traveling to his ship's reunions and keeping up with surviving shipmates, his family said. Richard worked in sales for several years at the National Industrial Conference Board in New York City before joining Continental Radiant Glassheat Corporation in 1974 that was founded by his father in 1951.

He enjoyed working and keeping busy and continued to service heating customers even after the company was sold in the mid 1990's, his family said.

Predeceased by his brother Basil and sister Cynthia, he is survived by his younger brother, Robert, who resided with him on Shelter Island; his daughter Cynthia Leduc and her husband, David, of Hingham, Massachusetts; and sons Richard H. Needham II of Leesburg, Virginia and Todd Needham and his wife, Elizabeth, of Concord, Massachusetts.

In addition he leaves behind his children's mother, Joan Needham of Plymouth, Massachusetts and seven grandchildren.

A memorial service was to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations were suggested to be made to East End Hospice, 481 Westhampton-Riverhead Road, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978.

This obituary information was obtained from the Shelter Island Gazette.