Woodstock, Vermont

Dr. Richard ("Dick") James Hastings passed away at his home after bravely battling cancer, with the grace and equanimity that defined his life.
Born in Groton, NY on January 7, 1933 to Katherine McCarthy Hastings and Timothy James Hastings, Dick attended Groton High School and was valedictorian of his class. He played football at Dartmouth College and graduated in 1955. After spending two years as a Lt. Jg. in the US Navy on the USS Pawcatuck, he returned to Hanover, NH to attend Dartmouth Medical School. He graduated from Cornell Medical School in 1961 and did his residency at Mary Hitchcock Hospital. Dick practiced orthopedics at Central Suffolk Hospital in Riverhead, NY for over thirty years. He served as Chief of Surgery and also as a trustee at Central Suffolk. From 1988-89, Dick served as Chairman of the Orthopedic Society of Suffolk County.
Dick retired from his medical practice in 2000 and moved to Woodstock, VT where he was an active member of the community, including volunteering at Bugbee Senior Center and Meals on Wheels. He remained active with his fellow classmates at Dartmouth, serving as Class President for 5 years and on the Alumni Council for 3 years. He became a mentor for Dartmouth football players, and was an avid supporter of the men's and women's ice hockey teams. Dick was a Civil War buff, avid tennis player, enthusiastic gardener, entertaining poet and challenging quizmaster.
Dick was predeceased by his parents and his two sisters, Helen and Marie. He is survived by his beloved wife, Jill; two children and their spouses, Cary and Jim Plamondon of Frederick, MD and Timothy and Kim Hastings of Jacksonville, FL; six grandchildren, Jay, Brian, Kathryn, Alex, Kate and Claire; mother-in-law and sister-in-law Barbara and Debbie; and many loving nieces, nephews and friends.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated on Monday January 4th at 10:00am at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Woodstock. A memorial visitation will be held on Sunday January 3rd from 5 to 7 pm at the Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock. Burial at Vermont Veterans Cemetery in Randolph, Vermont and a memorial service will both be held at a later date to be announced.
Those wishing may make donations in Dick's memory to; First Response Emergency Services of Barnard, Vermont or to Bayada Hospice of Norwich, Vermont.