Richard Hugh Ketcham, who moved to East Hampton after retiring from a 30-year career with IBM in 1985, “was a proud and loving father of his six children,” his family wrote. He enjoyed attending and volunteering at their school and sporting events, as well as camping with his wife, Marianne, and the children, especially at Hither Hills in Montauk and the Florida Keys.
His most memorable trip, they said, was an eight-week cross-country camping adventure in the 1970s with his wife and all six children, but right up there with that was a 30th wedding anniversary trip that he and Mrs. Ketcham took to Hawaii in 1982. Mr. Ketcham took his camera with him wherever he went, always “capturing special family memories,” his family wrote.
Mr. Ketcham, who was known as Dick, died on March 19 at the Chautauqua Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Dunkirk, N.Y. He was 91.
All of his children survive. They are Elizabeth Susan Sanderson of Coral Springs, Fla., Richard H. Ketcham Jr. of Fredonia, N.Y., James Scott Ketcham of Warner, N.H., JoAnn Ketcham of Rochester and Fredonia, John Alan Ketcham of Bow, N.H., and Jeffrey W. Ketcham of Easthampton, Mass. He also leaves 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
Mr. Ketcham was born in Glen Cove on June 9, 1930, to Wilbur Ketcham and the former Luella McHugh. He grew up in Glen Cove, graduating from Glen Cove High School in 1947. He went on to Cornell University before joining the Navy during the Korean War.
On May 17, 1952, he was married to Marianne Bernadette Egan, his high school sweetheart, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Glen Cove. He was still in the Navy, and the couple moved several times, first to New London, Conn., then to the U.S. Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Ill., then to Charleston, S.C., and finally Norfolk, Va. Mr. Ketcham served on the U.S.S. Runner and then the U.S.S. Lionfish. Upon his discharge from the Navy on March 7, 1955, he began his career at IBM.
The Ketchams moved from Norfolk to Wallingford, Conn., and then to New City, N.Y., where they lived for 24 years before retiring to East Hampton. During his 30 years here, he worked as an election inspector and coordinator. In 2015, the couple moved to Fredonia. Mrs. Ketcham died on Nov. 6, 2020.
A funeral for Mr. Ketcham was held in Fredonia on March 23. He was buried with military honors with his wife at Calverton National Cemetery on March 25.
His family has suggested contributions to Alzheimer’s Disease Research, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, P.O. Box 1950, Clarksburg, Md. 20871, also at brightfocus.org/stopAd, or to the Fredonia Fire Department, 80 West Main Street, Fredonia, N.Y. 14063. Online condolences can be left at larsontimkofuneralhome.com.
