Obituary of Richard H. Oeschger

Richard H. Oeschger, “Dick” passed away at age 94, 12/19/2022. He is survived by his wife of 70 years Josephine Marie (née Baglio) of Old Lyme, CT. The son of Swiss immigrants Herman and Cecile (née Crisinel), Richard grew up in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston. He attended English High School, and upon graduation he enlisted in the Navy and was assigned to submarines. After, he attended the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on architecture for a year, but then transferred to Massachusetts Institute of Technology to pursue a more quantitative approach, refocusing on maritime logistics and nuclear engineering, graduating in 1952. That same year, he married Josephine from the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston. He worked in New York City for a period of time chartering oil tankers. He and his wife moved back to MA and started a family. He worked for General Electric in Lynn, MA designing turbine blades for helicopter engines. Dick, however, had an affinity for the marine industry and his training was in Marine Transportation, so he joined the Bethlehem Steel Shipyard in Quincy, MA. He led an assignment to the Navy base on Mare Island in San Francisco Bay as the Navy was having difficulties with the first refueling of the USS Bainbridge nuclear frigate. For his work there, he received a letter of commendation from Admiral Rickover. He returned to the Quincy Shipyard for several years and then transferred to General Dynamics, Electric Boat Division in Groton, CT. There he again managed the installation of the nuclear reactors into the Los Angeles class and Ohio class submarines. He worked there until his retirement. He is a cancer survivor, having undergone several operations for colon cancer during the middle and later part of his working career. In retirement, he traveled with his wife, dabbled in local politics, worked on his house and cared for his family. A lifelong learner, Richard was a voracious reader and watched the NewsHour religiously. He is survived by his daughter Karen, and her partner Marc Revzin both of Brookline, MA. He is predeceased by his daughter Dyann Harmon and her late husband James Harmon, survived by his son Steven of Pembroke, MA, also survived by his son Thomas and his wife Lynn Kerr of Middletown, CT. Predeceased by his sister Evelyn Alden and her husband Norman Alden, and his sister Janet MacLeay and her husband Robert MacLeay. He was always very proud of his brothers in law: John Baglio, Joseph Baglio, Lou Baglio and Sal Baglio and Nick Bozic, Norman Alden and Robert MacLeay for their service during WWII. Richard also leaves behind 7 grandchildren: Teala Jones and husband Eric with 3 children, the Rev. Jude Harmon, Jaime Harrison with 5 children, Nadine Harmon with a child, Emma Aneshansley, Sam Oeschger and Mallory Oeschger. Funeral Arrangments by the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, Centerbrook, Connecticut.