On Sunday, October 24, 2021, Richard Charles Cusolito, resident of Rochester, and loving father of two children, died at age 78.

Richard was born October 10, 1943, in Boston to Fred and Florence (DelMastro) Cusolito of Belmont. He attended Babson College and embarked on an adventurous life with many different career paths.

Richard had a gift for friendship and had many lifelong friends. He was known for his quick wit, infectious laugh, love of debate, and a kind and compassionate spirit. Richard was a feminist, ally to the LGBTQ+ community, avid reader, amateur history buff, and lover of great wines. In his 60s, he decided he wanted to learn Spanish, so he went to Guatemala and lived with a family while taking language lessons every day. He could often be found at closing time of a bar or restaurant he was in, caught up in a conversation with a stranger or in a political debate with his kids.

Richard was immensely proud of his grandchildren, Dante and Alia, and saved everything they ever made for him. He counted on Dante for tech support and Alia for comic relief. He especially loved the private concerts they put on in their living room, knowing that driving them to lessons contributed to fostering their talents.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings: Lawrence, Lucille (Quirk), Frederick, and Robert. He is survived by his daughter, Kristin , and son-in-law, Duane (Thomas), of Tega Cay, SC; his son, Rick, daughter-in-law, Michelle, and their children, Dante and Alia, of Rochester, MA; his beloved ex-wife and close friend, Ellie (Durkin), of Wareham, MA; generations of nieces and nephews; and a large collection of loyal friends.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at 11am and noon, respectively, on Saturday, November 27, 2021, at the Fireside Grille, 30 Bedford Street, Middleborough, MA. Per Richard’s wishes, only fully vaccinated family and friends are invited to attend.
 
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to some of the causes close to Richard's heart:
Alzheimer’s Association https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2?df_id=32112&32112.donation=form1
March of Dimes https://www.marchofdimes.org/
Queer Youth Assemble https://donorbox.org/queer-youth-assemble
MetaVivor—Metastatic Breast Cancer Research https://www.metavivor.org/