Col. Richard Gagne, 85, of Cold Spring, died Oct. 25, 2018, at the New York State Veterans’ Home in Montrose.
Born Sept. 24, 1933, in Queens, he was the son of Alfred and Amanda (Boulay) Gagne.
Richard was a career Air Force veteran who served for 29 years. He enlisted in 1951 and rose to the rank of colonel while receiving two Bronze Service Stars. He served in many assignments, including during the Vietnam War and in Bangkok and the Philippines. In 1980 he retired at McGuire Air Force Base and moved to Putnam Valley, where he lived until moving to Cold Spring in 2012. He was a member of Our Lady of Loretto Church in Cold Spring.
Richard is survived by his wife of 65 years, Marlene, and his children: Douglas Gagne of Las Vegas, Jeffery Gagne (Tina) of Bel Air, Maryland, Richard Gagne (Michelle) of Watertown, and Patrick Gagne (Beth) of Mahopac. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Chrystal Gagne, Tammy White, Linda Gagne, Catherine Gagne, Dominque Gagne and Patrick Gagne Jr., as well as a sister, Irene Ashbahian (Harry).
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, Oct. 30, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Loretto, 24 Fair St., in Cold Spring., with interment to follow with military honors at Cold Spring Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital (wmchealthgiving.org), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org) or the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org).
