Richard Wayne Haslam

Richard Wayne Haslam, 75, of East Haddam, passed away on Friday, October 16, 2020 after a brief illness. Born in Ellsworth, Maine on September 8, 1945, he was raised in his beloved hometown of Bar Harbor, Maine.  As a child, he delivered milk to the rich and famous, including one family who allowed him to sleep on Paul Revere’s feather bed one night.  Richard moved to Connecticut and graduated from Westbrook High School in 1964. He was a stand-out athlete in baseball, basketball, and soccer.  He attended both the University of West Virginia and University of Connecticut.

Richard loved serving his community.  He was an elected constable for the Town of East Haddam from 1972 to 1984.  During his time as constable, he developed many youth service activities and encouraged the town to create a youth services bureau. He coached numerous sporting teams, his favorite being baseball. He had the option of becoming a professional baseball player and a professional bowler in the late 1960s. Richard was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Scottish Rite. He was past Master of Columbia Lodge #26 in East Haddam and was selected as Master of the Year for the State of Connecticut in 1984.

Richard was also a highly regarded salesman for plumbing and heating supplies throughout New England. In 2004, he established and began operating Haslam Fiberglass Repair which continues to be very successful. In his free time, everyone knew that Richard loved to golf, especially at Fox Hopyard Golf Club where he was an honorary member.

In July, Richard celebrated 50 years of marriage to Nancy Winakor Haslam, the love of his life. Together, they had two children, Dan Haslam and Melanie Kolek (Robert). He adored his two grandchildren, Emily Haslam and Tyler Kolek. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, William Winakor (Patricia), and nephews, Steven (Vanda) and David (Laura) Winakor. Richard was predeceased by his father-in-law, Sidney Winakor, his mother-in-law, Lillian Winakor and his father, Warren Haslam.

Visitation hours will be Thursday, October 22nd from 4-6 p.m. at the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home in Colchester.  A memorial service will take place immediately following at the same location for family and invited guests.  

In lieu of flowers, please consider at donation in Richard’s name to the Friends of Acadia.  https://friendsofacadia.org/