Richard H Dodd

Richard "Dick" Herman Dodd, 93 yrs., died on Sept 14, 2024 in the home he and Carol built on part of the original Starr family farm in Broadview Heights, Ohio.  He was born  February 11, 1931 on his Aunt Loretta’s birthday.  His oldest daughter, Laurel would also share this special day when she was born in 1953.  And his granddaughter Angela almost made it, but arrived a bit late – not putting in her appearance until Feb. 12.

Dick met the love of his life, Carol Jeanne Starr in August 1951 on a blind date arranged by his high school buddy (Clayt Tripp) and Carol’s cousin (Janice Rust). Dick and Carol married a short 4 months later on December 15th 1951. Clayt and Janice also married within the year and both couples stayed married more than 60 years! Each of these years were spent dancing.  Even in their eighties they were the best dancers on the floor – and believe us, they could be found dancing anywhere!

Dick was always known as a numbers guy.  As a new employee at GM he was trying to explain a problem on the tube shaft production line to a supervisor. When the boss had problems following his explanation, Dick handed the man his pocket calculator and said, “Here, check the numbers yourself.” The man looked at the calculator, and then looked strangely at Dick.  The calculator was so well used that there were no longer any numbers on the keys, but that didn’t stop Dick from proving his mathematical point.  The boss decided to take Dick’s word for it and Dick was promoted soon after.  This story became a favorite of the plant manager and was shared again at his retirement party.

Dick loved numbers, measurements and statistics.  His kids had the opportunity to play with oscilloscopes, micrometers and other neat tools at very young ages.  It was great to have a parent that loved math, could explain anything, was smarter and had more practical math experience than any math teacher any of them ever had.    Dick had one of those minds that read every word that ever happened to pass his eyes. If it had been published in a National G, a Popular Mechanics or a Radio magazine, Dick knew it and could explain it to you.

You could never be bored near him because he was always presenting problems or teaching you to figure something out.  He was majoring in Agriculture when he met Carol, but her dad, having grown up through very difficult years of farming in the great depression and WW II, said that no daughter of his was marrying a farmer. Dick quickly transferred to an engineering major and didn’t miss a step.   He could move quickly from natural history facts to determining the height of a tree using trig, the time of day, the length of the tree’s shadow and the width of his hand.

He loved charts and maps and they can be found in all our homes.  If you need a particular chart, just ask – we probably have it.

Dad loved to dance, but only with Mom or one of us girls.  Everyone of us when we heard he was gone, immediately  imagined him in heaven, dancing with mom.

Carol’s birthday was June 24.   His watch was always set to go off at 6:24 both AM and PM.  At the sound, Dad would immediately stop to wish her happy birthday or sing her a song.

We were amazed Dad lived so long after mom died.  He never stopped asking his family where she was and frequently thought he heard her in the next room.

Dick is survived  by his sister: Cherry Hammer age 95 and his Sister-in-law Sharon (Starr) Konvicka of Texas.  He is also survived by his  daughters: Laurel Palmisano of Richfield, Dawn (John) Urbon of Munroe Falls, Pamela Brown, of Michigan and his Sons: Tim (Mary) Dodd and Bob Dodd, both of Broadview Hts.  Dick had 10 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.

His Grandchildren: (in order by age)

Bill Hillenbrand, Ben Urbon, Chris Palmisano,  Lisa (Urbon) Ptak, Kirstyn Palmisano, Jeannette Jean Brown Baker, James C. Brown, Dan Urbon, Angela Dodd and Raymond Dodd.

Dick had 19 great-grandchildren. If you make it to the funeral there is a family tree showing all the lives that came from their union.  Dick was a very good Catholic, but also responsible for a terrible Carbon Foot Print!  (Yeah, Dad!)

With 94 years of a busy well-lived and much-loved life, there is so much that must remain unsaid. The best we can do in the time and space allowed is to now share a list of favorite thoughts and times he shared with each of us.

As a young boy, Dick served for WW II riding through dark neighborhoods checking for any lights that might betray locations to enemy planes.  His interest in ham radios started then and became a passion in later life, one he shared with his grandson, James Curtis.  This extended to Dick learning to fly in his 60’s in hopes of serving in coastal civilian air safety patrol.

Dick and Carol bought a cottage on Wilson Ave in Erie County months before their first grandchild was born.  This quickly became the hub of family fun. The family stepped into a new world of water sports, fishing and anything that could float.   Everyone was welcome, celebrated and well fed.   For 40 some years it was almost impossible to find a picture of Dad that didn’t have water in it.

Wilson Ave friends became their social world.  These wonderful people openly welcomed our growing family and shared their families, their experience, their own water toys and their food.  The happy hours and sunset cruises were innumerable and continue til this day.

Dick and Carol extended their world with the purchase of their first mobile home. They started spending winters in Texas which allowed them to spend time with Carol’s sister and family. (Sharon Starr Konvicka,  the Oles family, and the family of Robbie Starr.)

If we have failed to mention a favorite time or story, please come and share it with us or better yet, join us at Water’s Edge any sunny weekend.

Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Carol (Starr) Dodd, his parents, Herman and Margaret Cherry Dodd, stepmother Mildred Eaton Dodd, Sister Peggy Dodd Goetz,  brother Roger Dodd, his Son-in-law's: Jim Palmisano (2022) and James Lee Brown (2024) and his Grandson: Ben Urbon.

A mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, September 24 at 11:00 am at Assumption Church, 9183 Broadview Road.

Visitation at the church on Tuesday, September 24 10:00 am until time of service.

Interment Brecksville Cemetery.