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July 6, 2015

Richard McCourt

McCourt, Richard Allyn 68, formerly of Watertown and most recently Hingham, Centerville and St. Maarten passed away in the early morning on July 6th peacefully in his sleep.

He is survived by his loving wife of over 44 years, Virginia (Ginger), and his three sons, Ryan, his wife Charity, Matthew, his wife Ali, and Trevor all of Boston, and four grandchildren, Shafer, Cameron, Whit, and Kylie, his mother Katherine McCourt and six siblings.

Richie worked at his family’s company, McCourt Construction Company for over 47 years, the final 35 of which he was President and CEO. During his tenure, the company grew to be one of the states largest general contractors. Under his leadership, McCourt built such landmarks as the Rose Kennedy Greenway’s North End Park, Granite Links Golf Club, The 1-93 Central Artery Tunnel, Lechmere Canal Park, Dorchester Heights Monument, Logan Airport’s newest runway and the cable TV infrastructure for several cities including Boston, Brookline, Sacramento, and Palo Alto.  He worked tirelessly to not only grow the company, but to advocate for infrastructure improvements in Massachusetts. He was CIM Chairman of the Board in 1986 and was named UCANE’s Contractor of the Year in 2012. Richie was also a catalyst for peaceful labor-management relations as Treasurer of the CIM – Labor Relations Division and trustee of the Laborer’s Health and Welfare Fund. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Boston College ’68 and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Babson College ’74.

In addition to his dedication to Construction, he spent a great deal of time working to improve his community – he is a strong supporter of the McCourt Foundation and Boston College in addition to supporting the South Boston Neighborhood House, Grampy’s Charities and the American Diabetes Association. In 1984, he was honored on the cover of the Boston Globe for teaming with Mayor Ray Flynn and Pat Walsh of Laborer’s Local 223 to clean up Roxbury. He was endowed a college scholarship in his father’s name through the Utility Contractor’s Association of New England and has endowed a scholarship under his family’s name at Boston College. 

Richie’s true passions were his family and friends. He loved his wife and children more than anything in the world. Despite his busy professional life, he managed to coach basketball and football teams for each of his three sons. His home was always welcome and open to family and friends and with his wife and sons, he traveled the world to Europe, Egypt, Asia, South Africa, South America, and the Caribbean.  He was never short of a joke or an interesting piece of sports trivia. And while his children vehemently deny it, Richard was self-proclaimed to be undefeated in Backgammon during his entire life. Richard’s advice was sincere, his mentoring was true and his love of sports was only surpassed by his love for life and love for his family and friends. 

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Thursday 2-8 PM in the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), HINGHAM. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday in St. Paul’s Church, Hingham at 11 AM. Burial will be private.

Donations in memory of Richie may be made to American Diabetes Assoc., 10 Speen St., 2nd Floor, Framingham, MA 01701 or to the McCourt Foundation, 100 Grandview Road, Suite 212, Braintree, MA 02184.