DUTKIEWICZ, RYSZARD "RICHARD"
1951-2015
Ryszard "Richard" Dutkiewicz, 64, of Cornhill St., Moncton, passed away peacefully on October 12, 2015, after a valiant battle with cancer at the Moncton Hospital. Born September 27, 1951 in Fredericton, NB, to Jan and Kazimiera (Niemiec) Dutkiewicz of Poland, "Ryszard" was a proud first generation Canadian. Although he treasured his Polish roots, when asked the inevitable "Where is that surname from?" he would smile and say "Canada".
Richard's family moved to Riverview at an early age and he graduated from the drafting program at Moncton High in 1972. He spent several years as a draftsman with Apex Machine Works. He then spent the rest of his worklife at Woolco/Wal-Mart until retirement in 2010.
Richard will be remembered for his unselfishness and his constant willingness to help others before himself. He held firm to his beliefs and was never afraid to stand up for what he felt was right. His motto was "rock n roll til you die" and his love of music of all genres, as well as his musical aptitude carries on through his children and grandchildren. He was a fan of Johnny Cash and jokingly referred to himself as the Man In Black. Richard was also a huge fan of John Wayne (hence his nickname Duke) and when the actor passed in 1979, Richard named his first son after him a few days later.
He loved the outdoors and camping in Fundy Park with the family. He could have opened a bookstore with the amount of books he collected and you could be sure to find a title to match any interest. He was an avid historian with a vast knowledge of the American Civil War and the old American West. His second son was named in honor of Colonel Travis from the Battle of the Alamo. Given his family's experiences in Hitler occupied Poland he was also very interested in the history of World War II.
As it was when he was growing up, Richard's family home was meant to feel open to all, including friends of his children. He couldn't help but look out for the best interests of all of them. He was instrumental in setting up one of the first Neighborhood Watches in Moncton. He also helped many families in crisis by establishing the Tough Love parenting group. In later years, PACE kept him very involved with activities and he enjoyed travelling around the city by bus and having great conversations with friends new and old.
He will be deeply missed by his children: Lorri Meunier (Chris) of Moncton; Jonathan Dutkiewicz (Heather) of Calgary, and Travis Dutkiewicz (Janna) of Red Deer; grandchildren: Alexander, Cameron, Evan, and Quinn; sister, Helena Dutkiewicz of Halifax; mother of his children, Cheryl Jones Buzila (Harry); dear friend, Lori Webster; and many extended family members and friends who've been fortunate to have known him.
He was predeceased by his mother Kazimiera (2005), father Jan (2009), and sister Irena (2010). Waiting to greet him with warm snuggles will be his purr-babies that he so dearly loved: Spooky, Reno, and Amber.
The family would like to give great thanks to the staff of the palliative care unit at the Moncton Hospital for their amazing and compassionate service during his stay there.
By request, there will be no visitation. A service to honor his life will be celebrated at Frenette Funeral and Cremation Centre, 88 Church Street, Moncton (858-1900) on Friday, October 16, 2015 at 10:30 am. A reception will follow at the centre.
In Richard’s memory, a contribution to the Moncton SPCA or the Moncton Autism Resource Centre would be greatly appreciated.
"In the books, there's a name for a man like you: a Paladin. A gentleman knight in shiny armor, all armed with a cause and righteousness and a fine pointed lance, and yet a mercenary." Paladin, your armour was shiny indeed.
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