Richard (Dick) McWhirter of Barrington, Rhode Island, passed away peacefully on August 26, 2026, after a long struggle with Pulmonary Fibrosis. He was 91 years old. Though the disease gradually grew ever more taxing, Richard continued to thoroughly enjoy life. The day before his passing was marked by Taco Tuesday, a walk with his son Michael through the neighborhood, conversations with family, and watching one last Red Sox game.

Richard was predeceased by his devoted wife of 67 years, Barbara McWhirter, who passed away earlier this summer, and, sadly, by his son Mark (Machelle), who passed away in 2020. Richard is survived by his three sons, Steven, Jeffrey (MaryAnn), and Michael (Judi); eight grandchildren, Amanda, Alannah, Matt, Laura, Jenny, Amy, Sarah, and Madison; and five great-grandchildren.

Richard was born on September 3, 1934, in Glendale, California, to Edward and Helen McWhirter (“Grandma Whitehair”). After his family moved back to Wyandotte, Michigan, he attended Roosevelt High School. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University in 1956, Richard married Barbara in 1958. Richard and Barbara built a life in Warren and Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, before relocating to Barrington, Rhode Island, in 1987, when Richard took a position with Textron, where he would eventually retire as Chief Financial Officer. What was intended to be a temporary five-year relocation became a richly lived thirty-nine years in Rhode Island.

One of Richard’s great passions in life was exploring the mountains, canyons and deserts of the American West. Beginning with many family camping trips out West in 1969, Richard enjoyed countless camping, hiking, backpacking, and rafting adventures with his family. At age 80, he made his final backpacking trip into the Escalante Canyons of southern Utah, a region of the country that remained especially dear to him throughout his life.

Another longtime passion of Richard’s was his involvement in continuing education through the Lifelong Learning Collaborative (LLC) of Providence, where he participated in and helped lead many classes over the years. Richard was also an active member of the Barrington Congregational Church, where he served on numerous church committees and formed many lasting friendships. He had a keen mind and a love of reading and completed the New York Times crossword puzzle every day.

Richard was a familiar sight in his neighborhood, walking the many dogs he and Barbara had over the years: Charlie, Abby, Molly, Maggie, Max, Jake, and Dandy Boy. He could often be found out on the local paths, twice a day, somehow wrangling up to three dogs at once and always had dog treats in his pockets.

A family memorial service celebrating Richard’s life will be held this fall. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Barrington Land Conservation Trust (BLCT.org) in recognition of Richard's and Barbara’s longtime support of the organization.