NORTH ANDOVER — Richard Charles Boettcher, 74, of North Andover passed away surrounded by loving family in his Salisbury Beach beach house on August 31, 2021. He was born in St. Louis, MO to the late Howard E. and Lorraine A. (Robinson) Boettcher.
Rich served 4 years in the US Army with the Army Security Agency and spent the majority of the time stationed overseas in Taiwan. He joined the North Andover Police Department in 1981 as an auxiliary officer and attained the rank of lieutenant of the auxiliary police. When he joined the department full time, Rich worked as a communications officer before becoming the communications supervisor and then the division commander of the administrative division. Rich is known for his work in bringing E-9-1-1 to the town of North Andover and received the prestigious Jeff Grossman Telecommunications Officer of the year in 2006.
Within his communications role he joined the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) organization where Rich earned multiple awards, held significant positions, and was a valued member. Rich attained status as a Life Member, was a board member of the Atlantic Chapter, was a group leader, and was involved in so many aspects of the organization as a member, mentor, group leader, and learner.
Rich was known for his wittiness, stubbornness, attention to detail, integrity, honesty and honor. He loved traveling with his wife Dolores around the country for various APCO conferences and especially loved going to Aruba, where you would find him floating through the lazy river from sun-up to sunset. He was a lover of animals and had many pets throughout the years including dogs, birds, hamsters, rabbits, and guinea pigs … many of whom he came home to after Dolores went out to run an errand. Rich spent many years as an assistant Boy Scout scoutmaster for Troop 77 in Andover with his son Tom. He spent those years attending the weekend and summer camping trips and had a front row seat as Tom achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He also spent many hours on the sidelines of his daughter April’s various sporting events cheering her on and pushing her to be her best.
Family and friends are invited to gather at the Conte Funeral Home in North Andover on Monday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday at the Faith Lutheran Church in Andover at 11 a.m.
Rich leaves behind the love of his life and his best friend in his wife of 52 years, Dolores (Robichaud) Boettcher. He is survived by his son Thomas H. Boettcher with wife Jennifer and granddaughters Cassandra and Sydney of Wakefield and his daughter April L. (Boettcher) Winter with husband William and grandson Maverick of Ashburnham; his brother Ronald Boettcher with wife Penny of Wentzville, MO and is predeceased by his sister Pamela (Boettcher) Pechulis. Rich leaves behind many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews as well as many other family and friends whom he loved dearly.
Rich was strongly against the idea of flowers being sent following his death and has requested there be no flowers because those flowers will die and cannot bring continued growth. He was adamant that good come from his passing and has asked in lieu of flowers that donations are made to either the MishStrong Foundation at www.mishstrong.org or the APCO Sunshine Fund at https://www.apcointl.org/membership/donate/.
