Richard E. ‘Dick’ Bergenty

NORTH CANAAN — Richard E. “Dick” Bergenty, 88, died peacefully at his home in Torrington on March 16, 2014, after a long illness. Dick was born in North Canaan on Dec. 26, 1925, to the late Martha (Van Vlack) and Jack Bergenty. He was predeceased by his second wife, Isabelle “Bunny” (Hotchkiss) Bergenty. Dick was raised in North Canaan, graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School. He was drafted into the Army during World War II. He served in the European Theater as part of the Combat Engineers. When he returned home from the war, he served in the reserves with Connecticut’s 837th Rocket Field Artillery. Dick took great pride in not only his service to his country, but in being a veteran of what he considered the greatest country in the world. He was on the building committee of the VFW Couch Pipa Post 851 in North Canaan, and was a lifetime member of that post.Dick was co-owner of Jack’s Market in North Canaan with his father, mother and brother, Jack, and eventually owned and operated Jack’s Market in Falls Village. Both stores were called Jack’s Market, Inc., and the billhead read Jack Bergenty and Sons.When the store was sold, Dick became a salesperson and worked for Suburban Propane in Millerton and, later, sold investments for Investors Diversified Services (IDS). He went back to cutting meat in 1976 for the Shagroy Market in Salisbury (now called LaBonne’s), where he was eventually promoted to meat manager, which also included the fresh fish and deli departments.He eventually retired from the Shagroy and moved to Venice, Fla.Dick was always an athlete, from playing semi-pro football, to fast-pitch softball, horseshoes, tennis and golf. If he wasn’t playing, he was more than likely coaching, refereeing, umpiring or serving on a committee. When he was not doing something with sports, you would more than likely find him hunting or fishing.Dick is survived by daughters, Nancy Jean Bergenty of Martinsburg, West Va., Denise Bergenty and her partner, Karen Ralph, of Torrington and Melody Vaillant and her husband, George, of Midland, Ga.; a son, Rick Bergenty, also of Martinsburg; his first wife and the mother of his children, Nancy (Fraleigh) Bergenty, of North Canaan; a brother, Don Bergenty and his wife, Nancy, of Columbia, N.J.; 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.In addition to his second wife, he was predeceased by his older brother, John “Jack” Bergenty; a sister, Martha Miner; and a daughter, Cheryl Anne (Bergenty) Haddon.The family would like to express their sincerest gratitude to Dick’s amazing and loving caregiver, William Amofah. Services for Dick will be held later in the spring. Arrangements are under the care of the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home in North Canaan.Memorial donations in his name may be made to the Canaan VFW, or to Visiting Nurse Services (VNS) of Connecticut, Hospice Program, Torrington office.