Richard Niles
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Obituary for Richard C. Niles

Richard C.  Niles
Richard Carter Niles, 90, of Westerly, Rhode Island and Mystic, Connecticut, passed away on Friday, June 22, 2018.

Mr. Niles was born in Westerly, RI to the late Potter Hoxsie and Eva Mae Niles. He grew up on the family’s small farm in Hope Valley and attended the local Hope Valley and Westerly Schools.

Mr. Niles enlisted and served proudly in the U.S. Navy as an Airfield Crash Truck Crewman at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Texas from 1945-1946 receiving an Honorable Discharge and two service awards, the American Defense Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

He returned to Rhode Island and re-entered the work force working construction in southern New England and also a stint at the BDA-Bradford Dyeing Association. While working construction in Massachusetts, he met Joan Beth Winsor in Lynn, MA. They married on June 30, 1950 in Massachusetts.
They resided in Lynn, MA until late in 1952 where they relocated to Pleasant Street, Westerly, until Joan Beth’s passing in June 1972. The Family relocated to Linden Street, Westerly living there until 2017. While at this address Mr. Niles met Simone (LeFrancois) Bellavance in 1976 and they married in 1978 in Westerly. Mrs. Simone Niles passed on June 27, 1992.

While living in Westerly, he was employed by Plax (later Monsanto) in Stonington Village and later at the Electric Boat, Groton, CT retiring in 1997 after 33 years of faithful service as a Calibrations Technician.
Mr. Niles is a Life Member of the American Legion and is a 55 year member of Charity Masonic Lodge in Kenyon, RI. He attended several churches in his lifetime inclusive of Hope Valley Baptist Church of Hope Valley, Central Baptist Church of Westerly and Gallup Hill Baptist Church of Ledyard, CT. His greatest joy was always his family which continues to grow throughout New England, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, and other states.

Mr. Niles was preceded in death by all three of his siblings, Vivian E. Metz, Harlan E. Niles and Ronald F. Niles.

He is survived by a daughter, Lorna D. Niles of Farmington CT, and three sons, Guy R. and wife Ellen L. Niles of Kempner, TX, Greg C., Sr. and wife Claire Niles of Ledyard. CT and Lance C. and wife Angela Niles of Johnston, RI; along with three children from Simone, Michele Ritz of Milford, CT, and Christopher Bellavance and Lisa Bellavance, both of Moosup, CT; 19 grandchildren; and 17 great grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be held on Monday from 6-8pm at Gaffney-Dolan Funeral Home, 59 Spruce St., Westerly. Relatives and friends are also invited to attend a Funeral Service in the funeral home on Tuesday at 10am. Interment with Full Military Honors will follow at River Bend Cemetery, Westerly. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place Memphis, TN 38105, in Richard’s memory. For online condolences please visit www.gaffneydolanfuneralhome.com

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