Richard L. Seebeck

Richard L. “Dick” Seebeck, 82, died at home Saturday evening, Oct. 5, 2019, surrounded by his family.

Dick was born in Queens, NY on March 4, 1937 the son of Frederick G. and Charlotte (Gebauer) Seebeck. At the age of 17 he enlisted in the US Army and was a member of the Paratroopers during the Korean war. He was honorably discharged in 1957.

He started his career for the National Science Foundation in the Artic, working with the US Weather Bureau from 1960 to 1964. Dick’s ability to navigate in the harsh weather conditions enabled him excel in his duties. Given his talents, he was asked to lead a traverse to the South Pole for exploration. He was the station engineer at McMurdo Station in the Artic and in 1962, the Advisory Committee on Antartic Names named a mountain after him. Mount Seebeck can be found at 85 degrees 44’S 150 degrees 46’W at the head of Roe Glacier in the Tapley Mountains.

In 1964 he was working for International Telephone and Telegraph in Scotland monitoring the hotline communications between Russia and the US. It was while he was in Scotland that he met the love of his life, Margaret Wallace. Although he was offered the opportunity to go to Vietnam, he declined so he could remain in Scotland and be with Margaret.

Dick was an accomplished tracker and hunter. He traveled all over the world hunting different types of wild game. He developed an impressive catalogue of hunts over the years and became well known throughout the world. In small villages in India he was hired to remove tigers and panthers that had been attacking and killing adults and children. Again, he had a mountain named after him in India.

He proudly displayed a number of his successful hunts that are mounted on the walls of his home. His home in Ashfield was built with his hands. All the clearing, building, rock walls and formations were of his making. Although he had traveled the world and had seen so much, he truly loved his home.

A great man who will be sadly missed by his family and friends.

As he moves on, he leaves behind his wife Margaret of nearly 55 years, a son Kurt Seebeck of Ashfield, a daughter Heidi Seebeck of Pomfret, VT, grandchildren Nicole, Mark, Jason, Samantha and Boyd, great grandchildren Kali-Ann, Jaslyn, Darla, Eva, Ella and Waylon, a brother Mikey Seebeck of NY, a sister Virginia Kenney of CT, nieces, nephews, in-laws and friends.

Services will be private.

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