Richmond T. “Dick” Leeson, 81, of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts passed away surrounded by his family on October 25, 2016, at Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River. He was the beloved husband of Mary C. (Keane) Leeson.

Born in Boston, son of the late Robert and Evelyn (Talbot) Leeson, he lived in South Dartmouth for nearly 50 years. Mr. Leeson attended Charles River School in Dover, Mass., Dexter School in Brookline, Mass., and Moses Brown School in Providence. He graduated from St. Mark's School in Southborough, Mass.  He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Harvard University and his Master’s Degree from the University of Virginia Business School.

Mr. Leeson served in the US Army at Fort Devens. He worked for the family established business, Leesona Corporation in Warwick, RI, running the British Operation in Heywood, England.  He was also vice president at Babbit Brothers in Fairhaven, Mass., a stockbroker for Advest, Inc. in Fall River, and regional sales manager for Tilton Equipment in Portsmouth, NH.

Leeson was known for his keen intellect, dry wit and love of practical jokes. He was a gifted raconteur and will be remembered for his adventurous spirit, limitless curiosity, integrity and generosity. He was an avid and accomplished outdoorsman; deer hunting in the New Hampshire woods, enriching his surroundings with his love of gardening herbs, vegetables, Stargazer Lilies and blueberry bushes, and backpacking in the wilds of Alaska, Wyoming and Colorado with his wife Mary.

His greatest passion was fishing off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard for striped bass and swordfish on his cherished boat, Kittiwake IV. He won the boat division of the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby with the biggest striped bass in 1997. When he wasn’t on the water looking for fish, he was at home making lures and spooling his reels. He spent his summers on Martha’s Vineyard and during the rest of the year he enjoyed watching wildlife from his home overlooking the Slocum River.  Leeson was an Emeritus member of the New Bedford Yacht Club, Padanaram Station, a life-long member of Ducks Unlimited and the Owl Club at Harvard, a strong supporter of the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, and dedicated to furthering the goals of the Massachusetts Audubon's Sanctuary at Allens Pond in Dartmouth. In the fall and winter, you’d often find Leeson perched in a blind at Allens Pond, a short distance from his home, waiting for the elusive flock of geese to soar into the field with his black lab Barney quivering beside him.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by four children, Richmond T. “Toby” Leeson, Jr. of Steamboat Springs, Col., William A. “Bill” Leeson and his wife Heather of Santa Fe, NM, Thomas E. “Tom” Leeson and his wife Tiffany of Steamboat Springs, Col., and Gwendolyn G. Murdock and her husband Putnam of S. Dartmouth; two step children, Jeffrey D. DuBois and his wife Amy of S. Dartmouth and Russell A. Keane of Asheville, NC; a brother, Robert Leeson, Jr. and his wife Margaret “Peggy” (Goddard) of Narragansett, RI; and adoring "Poppi " to 11 grandchildren; Eliza, Harriet, Silas, Skylar, Sophie, Van, Graeme, Hazel, Jillian, Adrianna and Marielle; many nieces and nephews; as well as his beloved cat Quahog.

His memorial service will be Saturday, April 29, at 10:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 351 Elm St., S. Dartmouth.  Please RSVP to maryleeson1@gmail.com or 508-951-4773.

In lieu of flowers, Mr. Leeson’s family wishes that contributions be made in his memory to the Allens Pond Conservation Completion Project c/o the Buzzards Bay Coalition, 114 Front Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 (note on the check or the transmittal, “Credit to the Barney’s Joy Challenge”).  The Buzzards Bay Coalition, in conjunction with the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, is working to save 217 acres of critical coastal farmland, woodland, and wetland on Allens Pond, recognized as one of the most significant coastal habitats in Southern New England. For more information on the project, see the Coalition website at www.savebuzzardsbay.org. Please click on Dartmouth for your community, then click on Allens Pond Project.

Arrangements are by the Waring-Sullivan Home of Memorial Tribute at Dartmouth, 230 Russells Mills Rd, Dartmouth. For tributes: www.waring-sullivan.com.