Obituary of Richard Meier

Richard (Rick) Walter Meier, 67, of Manchester, Husband of the late Joanne (Brazel) Meier, passed away unexpectedly January 23rd, 2023, at his home in Manchester, CT. He was born in Manchester, CT on August 2nd, 1955, to the late Marion Hahn Meier and the late Walter Fredrick Meier. He was also predeceased by his brother William (Bill) Carl Meier. Rick graduated from Manchester High in 1973 and later graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, CT in the year of 1977. He was a long-time employee in the insurance industry with Cigna. 

He and his wife Joanne enjoyed taking trips to Colonial Williamsburg and Nantucket. His interests included playing the Ukulele, golf with his friends, attending and watching UCONN athletic events, as well as a regular season ticket holder for the Hartford Whalers. He was also a member of the Manchester Elks Club and the Washington Social Club. Over the years they had several Welsh Corgi’s. His beloved Welsh Corgi Buddy will miss him, but is now in a new forever home, well taken care of and loved.

He was an accomplished woodturner with his own company Corgyn Woodworks. Rick has turned for Mystic Seaport, creating parts for the Freedom ship Amistad, the whaling ship Charles W. Morgan and the fishing schooner L.A. Dunton. He has also turned numerous pieces from iroko wood scrap left over from the construction of the Amistad. Rick donated these pieces to Amistad America to raise funds to build fish farms for the people of Sierra Leone. Rick has exhibited work at the Forbes Gallery, the Rhode Island Fine Furnishings Show, South Windsor Public Library, Mary Cheney Library in Manchester, the Windham Area Arts Collaborative Gallery, the Suffield on the Green Craft Fair, Manchester Art Association’s Show in the Park as well as several national and regional woodturning symposia.

Rick is survived by his Great Uncle: Carl Hahn and wife Debbie Hahn, His nephew Conrad Meier and wife Klavdia Meier, Brothers-in-law: William Brazel and his wife Helen, David Brazel and his wife Anne, Tom Brazel and his partner Ellen Chamberlain, sisters-in-law Mary Elizabeth Frey and her husband Jason, and Ann Marie Dumais and her husband Pete. He leaves nieces and nephews, Katie Dubaldo and husband Dom, Peter Brazel, Patrick Brazel, Kara Almeida and husband Kyle, Megan Petardi and husband Drew, Alison Brazel, Sara Brazel, Joshua Frey and wife Elise, Ryan Frey, Arianna Dumais, and Lily Dumais as well as grandniece and grandnephews,  Luca and Nico Dubaldo and Brady and Molly Petardi. 

There will be a Private Burial Ceremony for family followed by a Celebration of Life on Monday, February 6th, 2023, 2PM-5PM at The Main Pub (306 Main Street) in Manchester, CT. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Rick’s name to a local pet rescue or animal shelter.