29 entries.
I was so sorry to hear about Dick's passing, which brought back strong memories of Dick and Deb's warmth, wit, and care for students and colleagues at Gould. Perfect role models for us (slightly!) younger rookie faculty members trying to figure it all out.
For two years at Deerfield, I lived in JL down the hall from the Dohrmann family. Throughout those two years, I would check in at curfew and without fail Mr. Dohrmann would be there in his swivel chair, frequently with homemade cookies or brownies. His desk would have photos of his children (he was so, so proud of them and you could tell he loved them dearly) and on his computer screen would be news articles about the stock market. He didn't just check our names off when we stopped by, but instead asked how our day had been, what we were up to, what our plans were, etc. He listened to our answers and never rushed us. Everything that mattered to us, a group of high schoolers, was important to him. As Willa said in the comments below, "Mr. Dohrmann was the kind of person who made everyone he talked to feel special." Those conversations with Mr. Dohrmann are some of my favorite Deerfield memories and I am very grateful for them. The Dohrmann family had a huge impact on my time at Deerfield (Mrs. Dohrmann was my admissions officer and I will forever be grateful for her since she is the reason I was able to attend Deerfield). Mr. Dohrmann will be missed by so many and I send my sincere condolences to the entire Dohrmann family.
I first met Dick when I arrived for college my freshman year and, upon walking into my dorm room for the first time, realized that at 6’4” I wasn’t even CLOSE to being the tallest roommate. Dick and I hit it off from the beginning, even though we were total opposites in so many ways. Unlike me, he was always comfortable with silence: if he didn’t have anything to say, he didn’t say anything, and when he did speak, what he had to say was always worth hearing. He also had the gift of focus, the ability to choose his passions and go deep, as well as the patience to do things right. But what I remember most were the laughs.
Having lived on opposite coasts for the last several decades, we only saw each other a few times and weren’t always in touch as much as I would have liked, but we reconnected in the past few years and I will forever be glad that I made the effort to visit Dick and Deb in Maine in the fall of 2019. Seeing Dick waiting for me through the window of the little Rockland airport really lifted my spirits. At the time he was going in for weekly treatments but seemed basically the same as I always remembered him from decades before: warm but not showy, good humored and generous, rock solid and easy to be around. It was lovely to get to know Anna, who I had last seen as a child, and so gratifying to get a glimpse of the really sweet and loving life Dick and Deb had together.
I’m so sorry he’s gone and sad about the time we could have spent together in the future, but so grateful to have been his friend.
Mr. Dohrmann was the kind of person who made everyone he talked to feel special. He was so important to my time at Deerfield and had a definite impact on who I am today. I remember how he encouraged me to try out for Varsity basketball, even though I wasn't so confident. He told me he believed in me and knew I could be great. When the tryout didn't go so well and I was in tears in my dorm room afterwards, he came to visit and helped me get through it. He could see how defeated I was, but instead of insisting I try again, he just let it go and welcomed me back to JV. It was exactly what I needed in that moment -- love and support. He and Mrs. Dohrmann were my family away from home. I will miss him. What a special man.
I was shocked and saddened when I learned of Dick's passing today. I first met him when I started at Menlo my senior year. We were both lucky enough to go to Stanford after that. While we didn't have classes together we frequently ran into each other around campus and at social events. As a longtime Stanford sports fan (my dad was a professor so I went from the time I was 12) I made it to a lot of his games and had the pleasure watching him. I am sorry we didn't have a chance to reconnect and catch up. My deepest sympathies and aloha to Dick's ohana and friends. He was a super guy and I will never forget him.
We are simply heartbroken that Dick has passed away. There are people in life we look to and often return to as we make our way through the world. My Uncle Dick was one of those people. Given the 10-year age gap between Dick and my mom, I had the good fortune of attending a game or two during what was likely his senior year playing basketball at Stanford. I was still pretty little, so I don’t remember much of the games, but I do remember my PopPop enticing me to accompany him with a frozen snickers bar. I’m sure those early experiences fueled my own love of the sport. In high school, my family moved to New Brunswick in the Maritimes, bordering Maine. I have great memories visiting Dick and Deb at Gould Academy during those four years, and remember Ben being born. After finishing college, I went back to Gould and taught for a year. At that time I didn’t have a clear idea of the direction I wanted to go, and with Dick’s encouragement (and assistance getting me the intern teaching position), I headed to the east coast once again. I went on to earn my teaching credential and, like Dick, taught high school history for several years back in my home state of California. Later, when I embarked on pursuing a graduate degree, my wife Jennie and I considered several options. We ended up in Boston – by this time, Dick and Deb and the kids were at Deerfield Academy, a very manageable drive from the city. Their proximity to Boston was an important factor for us. For nearly 20 years, my parents have spent half the year living in coastal Maine. This was a lifelong plan of theirs, but one that was bolstered by the fact Dick and Deb were on the east coast, and that a return to Maine for their own retirement was a distinct possibility. Knowing Dick would be close by was always a comfort for my mom during their time in Maine, given her own children were on the other coast. Visiting Maine each summer with my own family is an annual highlight, enhanced because Dick and Deb have always been there. Looking back, there is a pattern of both me and my family returning to Dick and his family in very meaningful ways. He us such an important part of who we all are. And I am comforted knowing that there are many out there who feel the same way.
Uncle Dick was the first “teenager” I knew. 13 years my senior, and living close by, I remember watching Uncle Dick in amazement. He wasn’t a kid like me, but he wasn’t old like my dad, and he was so tall that my head barely reached past his belt buckle. I loved watching him throw the ball for his dog, Fritz, and I still don’t know how he got away with sitting on the counters at Nana and Poppop’s house! When Dave and Steph and I would have an overnight at N and P’s when Uncle Dick was away at college, it was a big deal who got to sleep in Uncle Dick’s room. He was just that cool, even way back then. Uncle Dick made the world a kinder and more loving place, a legacy that will continue through all of the people whose hearts he touched and lives he shaped over the past 65 years. I am so sorry Deb and Ben and Anna for you to lose such an amazing husband and father. The deep connection and love you shared as a family makes the loss of Uncle Dick even more unbearable. A bond that strong can’t ever be broken and will be part of you all forever. Here’s to hoping that Uncle Dick and Nana and Poppop are hanging out someplace eating Velveeta grilled cheese together. Much love to all of you.
Ben and Katie, What a gorgeous tribute to your Dad and father-in-law. We are so sorry for your loss and are sending you so many hugs. We didn't have the privilege of getting to know Dick but reading about his life and seeing who he has been and will be in your lives has been so precious to share in with you. Much love, Rebecca Wilson
These pictures are such an amazing tribute to Uncle Dick. The common theme in these pictures is that he always has a smile on his face. Growing up I was always amazed at Uncle Dick's height- bending down in Nana and Poppop's house when moving from the kitchen to the family room to avoid hitting his head! As an adult, I always cherished our conversations at family events. Dick was such a caring, loving person to all of us lucky enough to have him in our lives. Deb, Ben and Anna my thoughts and love are with you.
Mr. Dohrmann was my US History professor when I did a prep year at Gould before going into the Navy. He was one of the most engaging teachers I ever had. I still remember he and I talking about the Carter Doctrine and it’s implications for US involvement in the Middle East. I’m one of the many people he educated and showed a passion for learning. I’m very grateful to have known him. Very respectfully, Col Jonathan Bingham
![Adrienne [Jenn] Allen ‘85](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/32d6cb1ec8c9d639e657411ff045d384dc5b28ec5b13c76a9f6638e183b756d3?s=32&d=mm&r=g){kind=avatar}
“Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.” –Scarlet Begonias
Thank you my dear friend, mentor, lifesaver. Rest in Power.
Mr. Dohrmann was just a joy. His calm and measured demeanor always stood out to me, and was very comforting as I navigated my teenage years. He was a wonderful US History teacher who pushed me to do better, something I am forever grateful for. I know his amazingly loving family is hurting right now, and I send you all my love. Mr. Dohrmann was a Deerfield legend and he will be sorely missed.
When I think back to my Deerfield Days, the first people I see are the Dohrmanns. Mr. Dohrmann was my hall resident, advisor and JV basketball coach, but above all he felt like an extension of my family. I looked up to him in how thoughtful he was. I felt so close to him but he was also one of those special, one of kind people, that made so many others feel the same way whenever they were in his presence. My favorite memory was when we lost to Taft 55-5 and he made me one of his famous home made cards to congratulate me on scoring 60% of our points because I managed to score a single 3 pointer (potentially accidentally). He was so positive and made being away from home at such a young age less scary because you knew how much he cared. Mr. Dohrmann was loved by so many and the four years I was fortunate enough to be living on the same campus as him were made exponentially memorable because of him.
Fresh out of college, how lucky was I to land at Gould and to live above the Dohrmann’s. Deb and Dick provided such a warm welcome and over the years a beautiful model of a wonderful family and how to raise two fantastic children. Hours in your kitchen, Dick leaning against the kitchen counter with legs crossed at the ankles taking it all in. To this day, I think of Dick when I make a fresh pot of coffee later in the day. Learning to make pesto, painting crafts for the Congo church Christmas bazaar, getting counsel on my first vegetable garden… all with Dick strumming always on his guitar in the front room. I know that I absorbed so much from those years with you all as dear friends. Dick was one of the best. My love to you Deb, Ben, Anna and your families and know that I hold you close in my heart.
Dick was a keen observer of everything. He was quiet yet talkative. He was smart, funny and kind and he enjoyed a good laugh. I remember him telling the story about having his morning coffee and looking out the window to see a moose. Behind the moose came my dog Tonka, then.... me running close behind. Didn't he laugh. The smile and twinkle in his eye always portrayed how much he enjoyed life's stories. Dick was the ultimate teaching professional, his assemblies at Gould were some of the best. He was one of the best.
I first met Dick in college, and even then, he stood out in the best possible way. While many of us, myself included, were talkative to the point of “loudmouth”, Dick was relatively quiet, almost reserved. In that good way, where when he spoke, you really wanted to listen to what he was saying. Although I had heard he was a star athlete, you would never hear him boast about it, or use it as his calling card. To use an old-fashioned word that we would have scoffed at then, he was a “gentleman”.
When he became a teacher, I remember thinking he’s going to be great at this… just the kind of teacher any kid would be lucky to get. Many years later, when Ben was looking at colleges, Deb, Dick and the kids stayed with me in Los Angeles. And I remember being struck by the fact that neither Ben nor Anna seemed to exhibit the kind of typical teen angst… no sullen moping, no eye rolling, they seemed to actually enjoy spending time with their parents and their friends. I thought, how does that happen? Good luck? Good genes? Good parenting? You couldn’t help but think part of it was a result of having a Dad like Dick.
I last got to see him on a Zoom call around Thanksgiving with a bunch of old college friends. Of course, we discussed the pandemic and how it had been affecting our lives. Dick talked about hard it was for his grandson Caleb, who couldn’t really understand why he couldn’t hug and play with his relatives. I was struck by the fact that with all the medical nightmares Dick had been through, top of mind for him was what his grandson was going through.
A Prince among men.
As a parent of a Deerfield graduate I am humbled by the contribution Richard made to my daughter’s life and the legacy he has surely left with all the students he mentored through his teaching and coaching career. The whole family portray his kindness and gracious ways. It leaves a lump in my throat to think of how much he will be missed. Thank you Dohrmann family for sharing. You are all very much in my thoughts, especially Debra.
Dick was born when I was ten years old. You can only imagine the thrill for a 10 year old girl to have a new baby boy in the family. I immediately took it upon myself to be his second mother although I secretly thought he was really "mine".
As his big sister, I loved and adored him from the day he came home from the hospital. My years with him before I left for college were ones that I will always treasure. For most of our adult lives, we lived on opposite coasts but in recent years have had the wonderful opportunity of living in Maine close to Dick and Deb.
That "little baby boy" we called "Dickie" will forever be in my heart and not a day will go by when he is not in my thoughts.
Like so many others, Mr. Dohrmann was instrumental in my four years at Deerfield. He provided exactly the kind of support so many of us needed in those years away from home- a loving, reliable, even-keeled presence. There were countless times the Dohrmanns opened their home and their arms to me and for that I will always be grateful.
When I think of Mr. Dohrmann I'm reminded of his love for coaching JV Girls basketball (despite our record), how he wore his heart on his sleeve (which, in hindsight was an important lesson on how good men are vulnerable men), his immaculate yet tiny penmanship, his famed chocolate chip cookies, and so many more life lessons on love and generosity. Thank you to Anna, Ben, and Ms. Dohrmann for sharing your dad and husband with so many. We are all better because of it.
Some of my absolute fondest memories from Deerfield are those on the JV basketball court and on the hall in JL with Mr. Dohrmann. He was an amazingly positive and caring person & a great listener who will be missed dearly.