Richard W. "Dick/Rich" Welsh

Worcester – Richard W. “Dick/Rich” Welsh, 68, of Worcester, died on January 14, 2026, following a medical emergency in his home. He leaves his sister, Christina “Tina” Gentile and her husband, Michael of Rutland; his nephew, Brian Gentile and his wife, Sarah of Leicester; his niece, Brianna D’Angelo and her husband, Nicholas of Sutton; his very special great-nephew and great-nieces, Liam Gentile and Leonina and Gianna D’Angelo; and his best friends, Matt, Steve and Peter. He was born in Worcester on November 9, 1957, to the late William R. and Kathryn R. (Skidmore) Welsh.

Dick grew up in Holden where he was active in Boy Scouts, and he also worked as a staff member at Treasure Valley. He graduated from Wachusett Regional High School in 1977. He then went on to graduate with honors from the former East Coast Aero Technical School with a certificate in Aeronautical Maintenance Technology in 1979. He worked around the U.S. repairing helicopters and airplanes.

Dick returned to Worcester from California in 1995 following a skydiving accident. He bravely adapted to his new way of life with dignity and grace.

Rich then graduated with honors from the former ITT Technical Institute with an Associate in Electronics Specialized Technology Degree in November 1997 and received an official citation from the Massachusetts Senate in recognition of his nomination as an Outstanding Student by the Massachusetts Association of Private Career Schools. Rich then went on to receive with honors, his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from The New England Institute of Technology in 2011.

Rich retired in September of 2025 from Dell Corporation (formerly EMC) after almost 30 years where he was a Senior Computer Technician. He was an active member of the Global Disability Initiative Team where he received several awards for his contributions.

Dick was an avid mono skier for many years and most recently was a member of the Spaulding Rehab-Shamrocks Sled Hockey Team.

It has been said that “Dick was known for his wit and clever observations and lived his life in a decent and honorable way” and was an inspiration to everyone around him.

Rich volunteered at NEADS in Princeton for many years. If you would like to honor his memory, please consider donating to NEADS, INC., PO Box 1100, Princeton, MA 01541 or online by visiting https://neads.org/. There will be a celebration of Richard’s life at a later date.

Arrangements are under the care of Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden. www.milesfuneralhome.com