Richard Dastous

Richard J. (Rick) Dastous, age 77 died peacefully at home on March 31st, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.  Richard was born in Lowell, MA, son of Lucien C. and Irene (Boisvert) Dastous.  He graduated from St. Joseph Boys High School in Lowell before joining the Marine Corps Reserves, serving from 1965-1971.  He was also a graduate of Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, NH earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration.  He was the beloved husband of Denise (Brassard) Dastous for almost 56 years, and loving father of Christina (Shane) Jackson of Prairieville, LA and Peter J. (Dr. Linh) Dastous of Beaufort, SC.  Mr. Dastous began his career at Digital Equipment Corporation in 1968, which spanned a 22-year period.  He worked at their main headquarters in Maynard, MA before being selected to staff DEC’s first offshore venture in Galway, Ireland as Materials Manager in 1976.  Upon his return to the States, he worked at their facilities in Marlboro and Westminster, MA and Nashua, NH and continued to work at Digital until their closure.  After five years with Simplex Time Recorder Systems, Mr. Dastous relocated to Chapel Hill, NC in 1996, working for SCI Systems.  During his years in NC, he became quite a Carolina Tarheel fan and enjoyed taking in the college games in Chapel Hill with his wife.  In 2003, he accepted his final position as Materials Manager with Hayward Industries in Clemmons, NC, from which he retired in December of 2010.  After retirement, Rick and Denise enjoyed traveling, but particularly their many road trips to visit with family and friends throughout the South and New England.  He attended St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Winston-Salem; and after retirement, volunteered at the Catholic Charities Food Pantry until his illness and remained in the Winston-Salem area until his death.  Besides his wife and children, Mr. Dastous is survived by his sisters, Pauline Boule, Denise Belley, and Diane Perry and her companion David Pritchard; brother in-law and sister’s in law, Richard and Alana Brassard and Marcy Brackett and her companion Gary Hogan, all of Litchfield, NH.  He was also the brother of the late Robert Dastous and Therese (John) Hutchinson; brother- in-law of the late Roger Boule, Ronald Belley, and Michael Perry.  He also leaves eight cherished grandchildren and their spouses, Chelsea (Abram), Hollie (Zecheriah), Zakery, Jesse (Ashley) and Lori, all of Louisiana; Emaleigh of Steamboat Springs, CO; John of Chapel Hill, NC and Peter, Jr. of Beaufort, SC and 11 great-grandchildren all of Louisiana and many nieces, nephews and many cousins.  A memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary Magdalen Church in Tyngsbnoro, MA with burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Chelmsford, MA later this month.  The family wishes to thank the staff of Trellis Supportive Care/Hospice for their assistance and compassion during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Richard’s memory to: Trellis Supportive Care, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 or to Second Harvest Food Bank of NW North Carolina, 3330 Shorefair Dr., Winston-Salem, NC 27105.