From homeless outreach services to food insecurity to humanitarian aid in earthquake-ravaged Haiti, Dick Webb "involved himself in serving others throughout his adult life," said his family.
He initiated and ran a program that provided meals to migrant workers and their families in southwest Florida, and led a separate group of volunteers that collected food donations from local restaurants to feed the homeless in Charlotte County there. "One of his last and perhaps favorite activities involving food insecurity was a program called Backpacks for Kids," the family wrote, "which would collect, sort, and deliver food donations in backpacks on Fridays to local elementary schools so children in need would have food throughout the weekends during the school year."
He supported homeless people in his community by providing transportation to a facility at which they could shower, and made several trips to Haiti with Burnt Store Presbyterian Church of Punta Gorda, Fla., to provide assistance.
Mr. Webb, who grew up in Montauk in a family that made many contributions to the hamlet for generations, died on July 18. Most recently a resident of Doylestown, Pa., he was 89.
Richard Freeman Webb was born in Southampton on Oct. 10, 1933, to Richard B. Webb and the former Emma Luckings. He attended the Montauk School and East Hampton High School before going on to Colgate University.
In December 1955, he married Geraldine Gould of East Hampton. The two had been friends since childhood; she called him her "sandbox sweetheart." Gerry Webb died in July 2014.
Mr. Webb worked for 33 years between the New York Telephone Company and Nynex, retiring in 1988. Throughout that time, he and his wife maintained a summer home in Montauk.
He lived in Port Washington from 1959 to 1984 and in Punta Gorda from 1998 to 2020. He was an elder, a Bible study group leader, and the missions committee chairman for the churches to which he belonged, most recently Burnt Store Presbyterian Church, and was treasurer of his condominium association.
"As much as Dick was involved in his church and community," his family wrote, "he most adored the time spent with family and was the captain of family fun." He would pack in "as much fun for family and friends as possible" on weekends in Montauk. "He was the quintessential entertainer," establishing, for example, the "Amagansett and Montauk Partying and Clamming Society" with his wife, his brother, David Webb, and sister-in-law, Gail Webb.
He enjoyed skiing and boating. The family wrote that he first owned a boat at the age of 16, "starting with a small outboard and working up to a 42-foot trawler, on which he retired with Gerry, and lived on full-time for 10 years. During those years they cruised the Caribbean and U.S. inland waterways, both for fun and for profit, as charter captain and cruise host."
He would often take his children and grandchildren out for fishing, water-skiing, and enjoying sunsets and interesting ports of call.
And then there was Christmas, the season he loved most of all, his family said. "He was very intentional about gathering the family together in various venues and multiple time zones. These times are among the fondest memories enjoyed by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who all adored him unconditionally."
In addition to his brother and sister-in-law, who live in Greenport, Mr. Webb is survived by three children, Pamela Bunn of Waimanalo, Hawaii, Holly Gerraughty of Boston, and Wendy Kimball, with her husband, Karl Kimball, of Doylestown, Pa. A daughter, Lori Webb, died before him. He also leaves eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Mr. Webb was cremated; his ashes will be buried in Montauk's Fort Hill Cemetery, next to his wife and parents. A memorial service will take place in Montauk in the fall. Memorial donations have been suggested to the Montauk Food Pantry, online at montaukfoodpantry.org.
