Richard William Custer

Richard William Custer, retired manufacturing engineer, devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, died peacefully at home in his cottage at Homewood at Plum Creek in Hanover, PA, on Friday evening, July 15, 2011. He was best known by his family, friends, neighbors and colleagues as Dick.



Born in Philadelphia, PA, on December 9, 1922, Dick married his high school sweetheart, R. Jean Engelhart, in 1940. He contributed to the war effort working as a Machinist at the Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, during the war years. Following the war Dick continued working as a machinist while studying engineering at Drexel Institute of Technology and through in-service training. In 1945, Dick joined J.S. Thorn Company, where he became instrumental in the design, manufacture and production of steel and aluminum products for commercial and residential buildings, as well as critical specialty products for the military. Dick’s design work produced numerous patents that were held jointly with his employer and frequently turned over to the military as a condition of various manufacturing contracts.



In 1961, Dick accepted a position with Liskey Aluminum and relocated the family to Catonsville, Maryland. Dick continued his distinguished career as a Manufacturing Engineer, through the design and production of architectural products including elevated flooring systems, again jointly holding patents for various designs. He later worked as a highly sought after consultant until his retirement. In 1996, Dick and Jean took up retirement full time and moved to their cottage at Homewood in Hanover, PA.



Dick was devoted to the Boy Scouts of America as a scout and active adult scouter, for over 60 years. He joined scouting in 1936, earned his Eagle Scout Award in 1939. On his eighteenth birthday, Dick began a lifetime of service as an adult leader at the troop, district, council levels, and as an active national council member. In 1953, with the blessing and support of his company, he was responsible for the planning, logistics and execution of transporting dozens of scout troops and hundreds of scouts, their leaders and equipment via train to Irvine Ranch, California for the Boy Scout Jamboree. Among many awards and achievements, in 1976 Dick was awarded the Silver Beaver Award in recognition of his extensive service to scouting as an adult. Later, Dick enjoyed traveling to scout Jamborees in Valley Forge, Canada, Colorado and Idaho.



Dick was raised in the Christian faith. As a young man, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He actively lived, grew, practiced and shared in his faith throughout the rest of his life. He served the Lord and his church in many ways, including serving as a Sunday school teacher, holding numerous committee and board positions, giving generously to the church and charitable causes, and in raising his four children in the Christian faith.



Friends and family recognized in Dick a quick wit, a keen intelligence, a lively curiosity, and a spirit of adventure, all of which remained undimmed throughout his long life. In fact, at the age of 60, he learned to scuba dive. This gave him entrée to the natural beauty of the undersea world which he explored in the company of his daughter and two of his sons. Dick’s love of nature was inspired, in part, by his mother, Evelyn, who was an amateur naturalist.



Throughout his lifetime, for business and pleasure, Dick enjoyed travel and largely fulfilled his dreams of places to visit and revisit. Among those places dear to him were Israel and the Holy Lands, Oberammergau for the Passion Play, Baja California for Whale calving, Greece, Turkey, Dominica, Alaska, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, Cayman Islands and many wonderful destinations in the US and Canada.



Jean, his loving and devoted wife of 65 years, died in 2005. He was also preceded in death by his beloved grandson Richard David Custer, his parents William and Evelyn Custer and brother, Robert Custer. Surviving are Dick and Jean’s children, spouses and loved ones: Daughter, Margaret Custer Moulton and Douglas Wark of Hanover, PA; Richard L. Custer of Philadelphia, PA; Gregory and Carol Custer of Catonsville, MD, W. Scott and Jacquelyn I. Custer, of Charleston, WV. Surviving Grandchildren and spouses are Wayne and Ann Custer, of Ambler, PA; Holly and Steven Rogers of Halethorpe, MD; Mark and Amanda Custer of Derwood, MD; great-granddaughter Bethany Rogers; and surviving nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.



The funeral service will be held at 3 pm Thursday, July 21, 2011 at the Chapel at Homewood at Plum Creek, 425 Westminster Avenue, Hanover, PA, with The Rev. Joel B. Hummel and The Rev. Dr. Bruce P. Bouchard officiating. The family will receive friends at the viewing one hour prior to the service in the Chapel. A committal service will take place at 2 pm Friday, July 22, 2011 in the Sermon on the Mount Chapel Mausoleum at Crest Lawn Memorial Gardens, 2150 Mount View Road, Marriottsville, MD with The Rev. Mark Waddell officiating.



Dick had requested that, instead of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Homewood at Plum Creek Benevolent Fund, 425 Westminster Avenue, Hanover, PA 17331; Trinity United Methodist Church, 2100 Westchester Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228, or Best Friends Animal Society, 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, UT 84741.


PDF Printable Version