Born on May 12, 1937, in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Susanne Hill Leach and Richard Francis Puffer, Richard grew-up with his older brother Robert and younger sister Faith (Welsh). He attended South Kent School in South Kent, Connecticut, where he excelled in football, hockey and as a tenor in the chapel choir. His excellent grades and diligent efforts in the classroom at South Kent earned him admission into Princeton University, where he matriculated in 1955 and from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1959.
After Princeton, Richard headed west for Tucson, Arizona, where he worked for a landscape architect. He felt restless, however, and in 1960, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and commenced basic training on August 22 in San Diego, California. He graduated from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on November 1, 1960. He was a member of First Battalion Platoon 175 – Major General Victor H. Krulack was the Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
Richard was nominated and selected to Officer training in Quantico, Virginia. For his first assignment, he joined Second Battalion, Third Marines. As a First Lieutenant, he served as Platoon Commander for the 3rd Platoon. During October, 1962, Castro’s Cuba disregarded all warnings by the U.S. Government to remove its offensive capability and the alert was sounded. Richard and his Marines joined the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and steamed toward what later became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. In December, after the situated eased, Richard returned to Camp Pendleton to prepare for his next assignment in Okinawa, Japan.
After leaving the Marine Corps, Richard returned to graduate school at Syracuse University, in Syracuse, New York. He graduated in June of 1967, magna cum laude with a Master’s degree in Architecture. While at Syracuse, he met Margaret Griffin in economics class and they married in December, 1965.
After graduating from Syracuse, Richard and Peggy moved to Massachusetts. He registered as an architect with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in August of 1970 and began his career at The Architect’s Collaborative (TAC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Richard worked on a number of large city buildings including a bank in Manchester, New Hampshire and Connecticut General in Harford, Connecticut as well as many schools and colleges.
Richard became a member of American Institute of Architects in September, 1980, and a Member of the Boston Society of Architects in December, 1980. In 1982, Richard opened his own firm, Richard Puffer Architects. His practice was centered in Lincoln and the surrounding communities but he did complete a few residential projects in Martha’s Vineyard and even one in Pasadena, California. His style, heavily influenced by the teachings of Frank Lloyd Wright, focused on matching the residence to the surrounding environment and landscape and allowing light to enter through windows to create livable spaces filled with joy and surprises.
Richard loved to paint and created a number of watercolors and oil works. He also did a particular study of Mexican architecture and arches and lectured on this topic at the Council on Aging in Lincoln. After his retirement in 2007, Richard spent the winters in Vieques, Puerto Rico. He was an avid birder and loved to bird all over the world. He and Peggy travelled to Arizona, Alaska, Ecuador and Panama to bird. In Puerto Rico, he led birding walks and could spot and distinguish all the bird calls and the myriad shore birds. In addition, he lectured at the Vieques environmental trust.
Richard was a dedicated Grandfather. He had Josh, Kale, Robert, Jack, Nathan, Susannah and Simon. He spent may days with his daughter, Sarah Schaffer, driving the kids to karate and soccer, using his gift for photography to chronicle Simon’s flag football games.
He taught his children and grandchildren many life lessons about sailing, bridge, dedication and hard work.
A devoted husband of 55 years, he adored his wife, Peggy. He fought fearlessly against heart and lung disease and passed at home on May 8, 2020, surrounded by his family including his son, Robert Hill Puffer, daughter, Sarah Talbot Schaffer, sister-in-law, Margaret Griffin, and wife of 55 years, Margaret G. Puffer, who walked him down the brick path, retracing the steps he had followed so many times before.
He will be remembered as a Marine, Brother, Son, Father, Husband, Grandfather, Architect, Birder, Artist, excellent bridge player, sailor, and as a loving, kind and generous inspiration to his entire family.
After Princeton, Richard headed west for Tucson, Arizona, where he worked for a landscape architect. He felt restless, however, and in 1960, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and commenced basic training on August 22 in San Diego, California. He graduated from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on November 1, 1960. He was a member of First Battalion Platoon 175 – Major General Victor H. Krulack was the Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
Richard was nominated and selected to Officer training in Quantico, Virginia. For his first assignment, he joined Second Battalion, Third Marines. As a First Lieutenant, he served as Platoon Commander for the 3rd Platoon. During October, 1962, Castro’s Cuba disregarded all warnings by the U.S. Government to remove its offensive capability and the alert was sounded. Richard and his Marines joined the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and steamed toward what later became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. In December, after the situated eased, Richard returned to Camp Pendleton to prepare for his next assignment in Okinawa, Japan.
After leaving the Marine Corps, Richard returned to graduate school at Syracuse University, in Syracuse, New York. He graduated in June of 1967, magna cum laude with a Master’s degree in Architecture. While at Syracuse, he met Margaret Griffin in economics class and they married in December, 1965.
After graduating from Syracuse, Richard and Peggy moved to Massachusetts. He registered as an architect with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in August of 1970 and began his career at The Architect’s Collaborative (TAC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Richard worked on a number of large city buildings including a bank in Manchester, New Hampshire and Connecticut General in Harford, Connecticut as well as many schools and colleges.
Richard became a member of American Institute of Architects in September, 1980, and a Member of the Boston Society of Architects in December, 1980. In 1982, Richard opened his own firm, Richard Puffer Architects. His practice was centered in Lincoln and the surrounding communities but he did complete a few residential projects in Martha’s Vineyard and even one in Pasadena, California. His style, heavily influenced by the teachings of Frank Lloyd Wright, focused on matching the residence to the surrounding environment and landscape and allowing light to enter through windows to create livable spaces filled with joy and surprises.
Richard loved to paint and created a number of watercolors and oil works. He also did a particular study of Mexican architecture and arches and lectured on this topic at the Council on Aging in Lincoln. After his retirement in 2007, Richard spent the winters in Vieques, Puerto Rico. He was an avid birder and loved to bird all over the world. He and Peggy travelled to Arizona, Alaska, Ecuador and Panama to bird. In Puerto Rico, he led birding walks and could spot and distinguish all the bird calls and the myriad shore birds. In addition, he lectured at the Vieques environmental trust.
Richard was a dedicated Grandfather. He had Josh, Kale, Robert, Jack, Nathan, Susannah and Simon. He spent may days with his daughter, Sarah Schaffer, driving the kids to karate and soccer, using his gift for photography to chronicle Simon’s flag football games.
He taught his children and grandchildren many life lessons about sailing, bridge, dedication and hard work.
A devoted husband of 55 years, he adored his wife, Peggy. He fought fearlessly against heart and lung disease and passed at home on May 8, 2020, surrounded by his family including his son, Robert Hill Puffer, daughter, Sarah Talbot Schaffer, sister-in-law, Margaret Griffin, and wife of 55 years, Margaret G. Puffer, who walked him down the brick path, retracing the steps he had followed so many times before.
He will be remembered as a Marine, Brother, Son, Father, Husband, Grandfather, Architect, Birder, Artist, excellent bridge player, sailor, and as a loving, kind and generous inspiration to his entire family.
Born on May 12, 1937, in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Susanne Hill Leach and Richard Francis Puffer, Richard grew-up with his older brother Robert and younger sister Faith (Welsh). He attended South Kent School in South Kent, Connecticut, where he excelled in football, hockey and as a tenor in the chapel choir. His excellent grades and diligent efforts in the classroom at South Kent earned him admission into Princeton University, where he matriculated in 1955 and from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1959.
After Princeton, Richard headed west for Tucson, Arizona, where he worked for a landscape architect. He felt restless, however, and in 1960, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and commenced basic training on August 22 in San Diego, California. He graduated from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on November 1, 1960. He was a member of First Battalion Platoon 175 – Major General Victor H. Krulack was the Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
Richard was nominated and selected to Officer training in Quantico, Virginia. For his first assignment, he joined Second Battalion, Third Marines. As a First Lieutenant, he served as Platoon Commander for the 3rd Platoon. During October, 1962, Castro’s Cuba disregarded all warnings by the U.S. Government to remove its offensive capability and the alert was sounded. Richard and his Marines joined the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and steamed toward what later became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. In December, after the situated eased, Richard returned to Camp Pendleton to prepare for his next assignment in Okinawa, Japan.
After leaving the Marine Corps, Richard returned to graduate school at Syracuse University, in Syracuse, New York. He graduated in June of 1967, magna cum laude with a Master’s degree in Architecture. While at Syracuse, he met Margaret Griffin in economics class and they married in December, 1965.
After graduating from Syracuse, Richard and Peggy moved to Massachusetts. He registered as an architect with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in August of 1970 and began his career at The Architect’s Collaborative (TAC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Richard worked on a number of large city buildings including a bank in Manchester, New Hampshire and Connecticut General in Harford, Connecticut as well as many schools and colleges.
Richard became a member of American Institute of Architects in September, 1980, and a Member of the Boston Society of Architects in December, 1980. In 1982, Richard opened his own firm, Richard Puffer Architects. His practice was centered in Lincoln and the surrounding communities but he did complete a few residential projects in Martha’s Vineyard and even one in Pasadena, California. His style, heavily influenced by the teachings of Frank Lloyd Wright, focused on matching the residence to the surrounding environment and landscape and allowing light to enter through windows to create livable spaces filled with joy and surprises.
Richard loved to paint and created a number of watercolors and oil works. He also did a particular study of Mexican architecture and arches and lectured on this topic at the Council on Aging in Lincoln. After his retirement in 2007, Richard spent the winters in Vieques, Puerto Rico. He was an avid birder and loved to bird all over the world. He and Peggy travelled to Arizona, Alaska, Ecuador and Panama to bird. In Puerto Rico, he led birding walks and could spot and distinguish all the bird calls and the myriad shore birds. In addition, he lectured at the Vieques environmental trust.
Richard was a dedicated Grandfather. He had Josh, Kale, Robert, Jack, Nathan, Susannah and Simon. He spent may days with his daughter, Sarah Schaffer, driving the kids to karate and soccer, using his gift for photography to chronicle Simon’s flag football games.
He taught his children and grandchildren many life lessons about sailing, bridge, dedication and hard work.
A devoted husband of 55 years, he adored his wife, Peggy. He fought fearlessly against heart and lung disease and passed at home on May 8, 2020, surrounded by his family including his son, Robert Hill Puffer, daughter, Sarah Talbot Schaffer, sister-in-law, Margaret Griffin, and wife of 55 years, Margaret G. Puffer, who walked him down the brick path, retracing the steps he had followed so many times before.
He will be remembered as a Marine, Brother, Son, Father, Husband, Grandfather, Architect, Birder, Artist, excellent bridge player, sailor, and as a loving, kind and generous inspiration to his entire family.
After Princeton, Richard headed west for Tucson, Arizona, where he worked for a landscape architect. He felt restless, however, and in 1960, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and commenced basic training on August 22 in San Diego, California. He graduated from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on November 1, 1960. He was a member of First Battalion Platoon 175 – Major General Victor H. Krulack was the Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
Richard was nominated and selected to Officer training in Quantico, Virginia. For his first assignment, he joined Second Battalion, Third Marines. As a First Lieutenant, he served as Platoon Commander for the 3rd Platoon. During October, 1962, Castro’s Cuba disregarded all warnings by the U.S. Government to remove its offensive capability and the alert was sounded. Richard and his Marines joined the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and steamed toward what later became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. In December, after the situated eased, Richard returned to Camp Pendleton to prepare for his next assignment in Okinawa, Japan.
After leaving the Marine Corps, Richard returned to graduate school at Syracuse University, in Syracuse, New York. He graduated in June of 1967, magna cum laude with a Master’s degree in Architecture. While at Syracuse, he met Margaret Griffin in economics class and they married in December, 1965.
After graduating from Syracuse, Richard and Peggy moved to Massachusetts. He registered as an architect with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in August of 1970 and began his career at The Architect’s Collaborative (TAC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Richard worked on a number of large city buildings including a bank in Manchester, New Hampshire and Connecticut General in Harford, Connecticut as well as many schools and colleges.
Richard became a member of American Institute of Architects in September, 1980, and a Member of the Boston Society of Architects in December, 1980. In 1982, Richard opened his own firm, Richard Puffer Architects. His practice was centered in Lincoln and the surrounding communities but he did complete a few residential projects in Martha’s Vineyard and even one in Pasadena, California. His style, heavily influenced by the teachings of Frank Lloyd Wright, focused on matching the residence to the surrounding environment and landscape and allowing light to enter through windows to create livable spaces filled with joy and surprises.
Richard loved to paint and created a number of watercolors and oil works. He also did a particular study of Mexican architecture and arches and lectured on this topic at the Council on Aging in Lincoln. After his retirement in 2007, Richard spent the winters in Vieques, Puerto Rico. He was an avid birder and loved to bird all over the world. He and Peggy travelled to Arizona, Alaska, Ecuador and Panama to bird. In Puerto Rico, he led birding walks and could spot and distinguish all the bird calls and the myriad shore birds. In addition, he lectured at the Vieques environmental trust.
Richard was a dedicated Grandfather. He had Josh, Kale, Robert, Jack, Nathan, Susannah and Simon. He spent may days with his daughter, Sarah Schaffer, driving the kids to karate and soccer, using his gift for photography to chronicle Simon’s flag football games.
He taught his children and grandchildren many life lessons about sailing, bridge, dedication and hard work.
A devoted husband of 55 years, he adored his wife, Peggy. He fought fearlessly against heart and lung disease and passed at home on May 8, 2020, surrounded by his family including his son, Robert Hill Puffer, daughter, Sarah Talbot Schaffer, sister-in-law, Margaret Griffin, and wife of 55 years, Margaret G. Puffer, who walked him down the brick path, retracing the steps he had followed so many times before.
He will be remembered as a Marine, Brother, Son, Father, Husband, Grandfather, Architect, Birder, Artist, excellent bridge player, sailor, and as a loving, kind and generous inspiration to his entire family.
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