Obituaries

Richard B. Covell

Apr 22nd, 2017

Richard B. Covell
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COVELL - Richard B. 87 of Yarmouthport died Saturday April 22, 2017, after a brief period of declining health.

He was the husband of the late Helen Ruth (Powers) Covell who died in 2009. They had been married for 57 years.

Born in Ware, Mr. Covell was the son of the late Bertram M. and Ruth Mae (Launier) Covell. He was a graduate of Becker College and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and completed graduate studies at The Graduate School of Banking, Brown University and The Management Development School at Dartmouth College.

His professional career, spanning 42 years, was spent in banking and he retired in August 1992 as CEO of Heritage Bank. In 1966 he was elected Vice President of Northampton Institution for Savings and elected President in 1968. The bank merged with Heritage Bank in 1986 and acquired Community Savings Bank of Holyoke in 1986. The combined organization had 29 offices in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties with assets exceeding $1.5 billion.

He was active in community affairs and served as Trustee of The Clarke School for 38 years, Treasurer of Look Park for 27 years, Treasurer of Applewood Living Care Community and Member of the Development Committee of Cooley Dickinson Hospital. He also served as Trustee of Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation, and Trustee of Northampton School for Girls and was instrumental in the merger with Williston Academy which would then become Williston-Northampton School. As Chair of the Northampton Development Committee, he worked aggressively to promote and maintain the downtown and keep Hotel Northampton as a focal point. In 1983, Mr. Covell received the Northampton Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award. He was past President of Northampton Rotary Club and in 1988 was named a Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary’s highest honor for “service above self.” He was also a life member of Northampton Elks Lodge BPOE 997.

Mr. Covell is survived by his three children Jane S. Keeney and her husband, Normand of Avon CT, Richard B. Covell, Jr. and his wife, Maureen of Plymouth, and Joan C. Cooper and her husband Herb of Arlington, VA; his four grandchildren, Jennifer Keeney-Bleeg and her husband, Jim, of Bristol, England, Jeffrey A. Keeney and his wife, Jenny of Chicago, IL, Richard B. Covell, III and Eric J. Covell, both of Plymouth; and his two great grandchildren, Elliott and Julian Bleeg, both of Bristol, England. Also remembered with love and kindness is his longtime friend, Claire F. Rodrigues.

A celebration of Richard’s life will be held 11 a.m. Friday May 19 at the Northside United Methodist Church, 701 Airline Rd., Brewster.

Interment will be private.

As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to the Clarke School for Hearing Impaired, 45 Round Hill Rd, Northampton, MA 01060, or to Look Park, 300 North Main St, Florence, MA 01062, or to Edwards Church, 297 Main St, Northampton, MA 01060, or to the Northside United Methodist Church, 701 Airline Rd., Brewster, MA 02631.

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