Richard (Dick) Theodore LaPorte

Richard (Dick) Theodore LaPorte, 89 years old, of Dracut, Massachusetts, died in his home from medical complications on December 23, 2025.

He was born in Lowell, MA on July 10, 1936, to Arthur Joseph LaPorte & Julia (Koziol) LaPorte, and was the beloved brother of Arthur Joseph LaPorte, Jr. (deceased).

He is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Norma Virginia (Cielakie) LaPorte and his three children, daughter Lynne (LaPorte) Singleton & husband David Singleton, son Richard Joseph LaPorte & wife Deborah LaPorte, and daughter Sharon Marie (LaPorte) Lagos & husband John Meehan. He also leaves behind six grandchildren, Kacie Ruth & husband Christoper Ruth, Bethany Keylor & husband Ben Keylor, Alexander Singleton, Christopher Lagos, Luke Lagos, Julie Lagos, and four great grandchildren, Celine Lagos, Noah Ruth, Jason Ruth and Barrett Keylor.

Richard attended St. Michael’s Grammer School and graduated from Lowell High School before entering the US Navy, where he served on the destroyers USS Potter & USS Harwood as a signalman, 3rd class.

After coming home from the service, he found employment as a journeyman compositor at the Courier Citizen Corporation, where he worked for over 20 years. As the old printing technologies began to disappear, he shifted his career and gained employment as an engineering technician for the US Army at the Watertown Arsenal Research Center where he worked until his retirement another 20 years later.

Dick’s service to the community was dedicated and generous. He was a communicant of St. Michael Church and a longtime member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, initially as a volunteer, but then later serving successively as President of the St. Michael’s Conference, President of the Lowell District Council, President of the Boston Archdiocese Council for 9 years and then on the National Council.

He represented the National President of the Saint Vincent de Paul in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to dedicate a retirement home for the poor of Haiti funded by the organization. He also represented the Boston Archdiocese Council in Rome to celebrate the 400th anniversary of SVDP, who recognized his efforts by presenting him with their Top Hat award.

Richard was honored by the archdiocese with the Bishop Cheverus Medal presented to him by Cardinal Sean O’Malley at Holy Cross Cathedral in 2017. Other awards included the Martin J. Miller Community award and the Catholic Charity Community Service Award.

In addition to SVDP, he served as a member of the first Hunger and Homeless Commission and volunteered at the Lowell Association for the Blind. He was a lifetime member of both the Disabled American Veterans and Polish American Veterans and was a past member of the Knights of Columbus, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the East End Club.

Dick was a prolific reader of history and novels. In his younger days he was an avid jogger and downhill skier and found time to indulge in his hobby of winemaking.

Relatives and friends are invited to Dick’s Life Celebration at the McKENNA-OUELLETTE FUNERAL HOME, 327 Hildreth St, Lowell, on Monday, December 29, from 4:00 until 8:00 PM. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Michael Church, 12 6th St, Lowell at 10 AM on Tuesday, December 30. Burial in St. Mary Cemetery, Tewksbury. Donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Society - St. Michael Conference, 543 Bridge St., Lowell, MA 01850 in his name would be welcome.