Richard Dansingburg, 88, of Chester

Richard (Dick) Hayes Dansingburg passed away peacefully at his home in Chester on the afternoon of March 28, 2024, after a lengthy illness.  He was 88 years old.  Dick was born on May 10, 1935 in Rochester, Minn., to Gertrude (Boothby) and Hayes Dansingburg.  He grew up in Rochester with his older sister Janet.

Dick graduated from Rochester High School in 1953 as an Eagle Scout, a three-sport athlete — football, swimming and tennis — and senior class president.

Following high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he completed his service as an Aerographer’s Mate 2^nd Class (weather forecaster) onboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Hornet for a tour of duty to Japan and the Far East.  Among his fondest memories of the tour was teaching baseball to Japanese school children who lived near their ship’s base.

In 1957, following his honorable discharge from the Navy, Dick enrolled at the University of Minnesota where he was active in the university’s Outing Club.  He transferred to Springfield College, in Springfield, Mass., in 1959 to major in Recreation and Youth Leadership.  While at Springfield College he met the love of his life Brenda (Beyer) Dansingburg.  They were married in June of 1960 in Brenda’s family home in Auburn, N.Y.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Springfield College, in 1961 Dick began a 12-year career as a district executive with the Boy Scouts of America.  He initially worked for the Scouts in Minneapolis, Minn., then went to district offices in Ann Arbor, Mich., and White Plains, N.Y.  While at the Washington Irving Boy Scout Council, he was the director of the newly developed Explorers Program, which enabled boys and girls of high school age from Westchester and Putnam counties to develop their career interests.

In 1973, Dick began working as the Career Education Project Manager with the Westchester and Putnam County B.O.C.E.S. (Board of Cooperative Educational Services), which provides shared educational programs and services to school districts within the state.

In 1974, Dick and Brenda moved their family of three daughters to Brenda’s hometown, Norwich, N.Y.  Upon arriving in Norwich, Dick worked for two years with the Chenango County Chamber of Commerce as its on-the-job Training coordinator.  He then began working at the Chenango and Western Delaware County B.O.C.E.S as its Cooperative Work Experience Program director.  In this role, he helped establish the Chenango-Delaware Business Education Council and its youth development program’s long-standing involvement with the American Management Association’s Operation Enterprise youth retreats.

Dick worked in youth vocational education development for B.O.C.E.S. for many years, taking a few years break to work as a training program coordinator for Simmonds Precision at its Norwich facility.  A lifetime passion for assisting youth and young adults in developing their career interests concluded with a position as the job placement coordinator for S.U.N.Y. Morrisville’s Norwich campus.

Upon his retirement, Dick continued to volunteer with the Boy Scouts in New York state and later in Chester, Vt., where he and Brenda moved in 2010 to be closer to their daughter Julie and her family.  Dick was a long-time lover of the outdoors, especially Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area and New York’s Adirondack Park, where he enjoyed many canoeing and camping trips with family and friends.  He passed on his passion for outdoor activities and adventures to his three daughters and Minnesota nephews Scott and Kent Moe. Dick also enjoyed supporting the Minnesota Twins and Vikings, woodworking projects and the community he and Brenda found at Broad Street United Methodist Church in Norwich and the United Church of Ludlow.

Dick is survived by his wife of 63 years Brenda (Beyer) Dansingburg of Chester; his daughter Jodi Dansingburg and son-in-law Kevin O’Brien of Rushford, Minn.; daughter Julie Dansingburg Kelley and son-in-law Frank Kelley, of Chester; daughter Jami Dansingburg, of Philadelphia, Penn.; sister Janet Moe of Lake City, Minn.; granddaughter Heather (Mark) Herrmann of Minnetrista, Minn.; grandson Kobi Dansingburg of Minneapolis, Minn.; sister-in-law Betsy Beyer of Waukesha, Wisc.; and seven nieces and nephews Scott (Carrie) and Kent (Renee) Moe, Steve (Eleni) and Gary (Betsy) Beyer, Theodore Summers, Wendy Summers and Kate Beutner.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his granddaughter Marina Kelley; brothers-in-law Ed Beutner, Barry Beyer, Clint Moe and Ted Summers, and sisters-in-law Judy Beyer and Beverlyn Summers as well as several beloved family dogs.

A celebration of life is being scheduled for June 22, 2024, in Chester.

Memorials can be directed to the Green Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 557 Waterbury, VT 05676 or by clicking here, or the United Church of Ludlow, 48 Pleasant St., Ludlow, VT 05149.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of the Davis Memorial Chapel of Springfield.