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Richard Salter
In Memory of
Richard Scott
Salter
1970 - 2017
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Obituary for Richard Scott Salter

Richard Scott  Salter
Richard “Rick” Scott Salter, 47, of Enfield, entered eternal rest on Monday, August 14, 2017 at home with his wife Nancy by his side. Rick’s brave battle with brain cancer brought pain, but also set off an extraordinarily beautiful chain reaction as family and friends gathered around to roll the next 50 years of love all into one.
Rick was born and raised in Meriden, Connecticut where he raced big wheels in the backyard alongside his sisters Robyn and Laura. Parents Lee and Linda worked hard to care for their young family and ended each day with a home-cooked meal, a bedtime story and the Lord’s Prayer. The two made sure the kids had all the gifts they could ever hope for, far beyond those pulled from Santa Claus wrap beneath the tree on Christmas morning. Richard was also blessed to share his childhood home with his very special grandmother Muriel who hosted games of Chinese Checkers, Godzilla movies and Friday night dinners during which the kids were always on their worst behavior …and loving every minute of it. An animal lover all his life, Rick also adored his beagles Tina, Molly, and Bailey.

Outside of the home, Rick’s friends were an extended family of brothers. David Aleshire, Scott Muir and Ray Akerberg were fun-loving and true-blue pals who navigated their schooldays together. All of them have been a source of strength for him in recent months.

Professionally, Rick was a highly regarded IT professional for the Town of South Windsor where he kept computer-based operations running like clockwork for town departments. Rick’s co-workers had grown so fond of him that they pulled together an incredible gift of donated sick days, twice, so that Rick could receive essential medical treatments without financial hardship. This was a gesture that had a profound impact on Rick as he was more accustomed to giving than receiving. In fact, he was eager to return to work to repay that favor.
Before his work with the town, Rick spent time teaching at the Sawyer School in Hartford where he met his fourth “brother” Sean O’Brien who was not only a loyal friend, but who enjoyed pouring out his salty wit that would have Rick in stitches. After all, Richard truly loved to laugh. He loved all things wacky and weird and outrageous. His students appreciated that trademark humor which made Rick so accessible in the classroom. The job also energized Rick’s true passion for helping others.

While working at the Sawyer School, Rick co-opened a business in Waterbury where he met his wife and long-time companion Nancy. Rick helped her through one of the most difficult times in her life and it led to them falling in love. He took care of her and her children for 13 years before roles were reversed and she took care of him when he needed her the most.

During his illness, Rick’s father and mother-in-law helped tremendously. Andy and Linda Mackenstein visited on weekends to lift Rick’s spirits and to help around the house. His sister-in-law Naomi Zenhye drove miles to stay with him and helped care for him for months so that Nancy could continue to work. His other sister-in-law Bonnie Sirignano gave Rick the respect of carrying on their usual banter, even on the toughest days. His brother-in-law Paul Pemp also helped around the house. Rick’s nieces and nephews held out such hope for recovery and they always reminded Rick that he was a fighter and that they were proud of him. Niece Emma Sirignano even wrote a poem for her uncle and sang to him at his wedding.

For the past 15 months, Rick truly was a prizefighter. As he endured the painful deconstruction that cancer yields, he got knocked down a thousand times. He dusted himself off and got up again, every single time. Rick was brave and strong in ways that mystified even those closest to him. Rick rarely spoke of his own pain and instead chose to focus on helping others as he always had. He managed to laugh, and to sometimes make us laugh, even on the hardest of days. 

Rick was steadied by the intense devotion of family and friends who were there day and night to remind him that he was not alone. His wife Nancy was his rock, caring for him each day no matter how weary she felt. His dad Lee would look him in the eye and smile as they began a sour-faced “smoothie drinking challenge” following hospital treatment. His mother Linda spent hours in the kitchen carefully preparing nutritious meals. His friend David spent a large part of his summer vacation with Rick, turning up every morning for several weeks. Indeed, family and friends from near and far brought forth their own brand of love in the form of visits, gifts, healthcare coordination and goofball humor that raised Rick’s spirits.  We spoke of the good old days and the grandeur of heaven. No words were left unsaid.

Rick's family would like to thank his close family friends that devoted their time as caregivers, Jesus Nieves and Shawna Rushford and the talented team at Hartford Hospital. In lieu of flowers the family would like donations to be made to the Beagle Freedom Fund in his honor at beaglefreedomproject.org
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