Richard Francis Fridgen

Richard Francis Fridgen, age 88, of Norwell, passed away on October 14 after a long battle with dementia. Beloved husband of Anne (Donovan) Fridgen, and loving father of Anne Fridgen-Traft and her husband Allan of Norwell, Sandra Foley and her husband Ed of Jamaica Plain, Susan Fridgen and her husband Tim Miller of Takoma Park, MD, and Donna Fridgen and her husband Jim Cosgrove of Weymouth. Loving Grandpa of Kelly and Janine Traft and Ryan, Jessica, and Emma Miller. Beloved brother of the late Ervin Fridgen (Liela) and the late Lois Warburton (Bob). He was the son of Aloysius and Emma Fridgen of Dumont, MN. 
Rick grew up in Minnesota and joined the Navy to see the world. After four years of military service during the Korean War, he married Anne Marie. He worked for the telephone company for ten years as a repair man and later as a computer programmer. While raising four girls, he went to night school at Northeastern University and received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. He then worked for the United States Government, Department of Defense for 32 years as a computer specialist and management analyst, where he was praised for his quiet competence and ethics. 
He loved spending time with his family, travel, music, camping and being out in nature. He belonged to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, donated blood 177 times to the Red Cross, and walked the 26.2-mile Boston Marathon route for the Jimmy Fund for 28 years, well into his 80s. He volunteered for the South Shore Elder Services with their money management program. He also volunteered as an ombudsman at local nursing homes and worked with Habitat for Humanity.
A private Mass at St. Helens in Norwell and burial at National Cemetery in Bourne were held on October 27th. 
Memorial gifts can be made in honor of Richard by donating blood to the Red Cross, or donating in his name to www.jimmyfund.org/gift or Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 849168, Boston MA 02284. 

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