User:Janejon/sandbox/Rev. Dr. Richard French Wilcox Sr.

Richard French Wilcox Sr., D.Min. 11/24/1925 - 08/12/2008, was born in Fall River, Massachusetts. A direct descendant of Daniel Wilcox one of the original purchasers of land in the Pocasset Purchase 1679 which eventually became Fall River. His parents were George Lester Wilcox and Lucy Osborn French Wilcox with one sister Francis. He attended Moses Brown School in Providence, RI, Case High School in Swansea, Ma and graduated from Admiral Billard Academy in New London, CT. In 1945 he graduated from Massachusetts Maritime Academy and subsequently served in the Maritime Commission as a Naval Reserve Officer on merchant vessels during World War II. On Nov. 30th, 1946 he married Jean Ferguson, with whom he had four children: Richard F. Wilcox Jr., Robert Ferguson Wilcox, Jane Stewart Wilcox "Hively" and Benjamin Edward Wilcox. From 1947 - 1959, he was employed as a personality disc jockey "Dick Wilcox" on WSAR with the Fall River Broadcasting Company. In 1961, he received a bachelor of divinity and in 1973, a Masters of sacred theology as well as a Doctor of Ministry, from Andover Newton Theological School. His notable honors include: "The Lex King Souter Humanitarian Award, several "Official Citations" from the Commonwealth of Mass., "The Silver Bowl" in recognition of promoting Portuguese culture in Fall River, "The Cutting Gold Medal for Religion and Medicine," and was co-founder of "Dollars for Scholars," which provided billions of dollars for scholarships on the Northshore area of Mass. He was pastor of The Rehoboth-Dighton Congregational, The Middleton Congregational, Fall River First Congregational, The Conway Village, NH Congregational, churches and became Pastor Emeritus at the Conway Village, NH Congregational Church. He created "The Middleton Pastoral Counseling Center." While pastoring at Middleton Congregational, Richard F. Wilcox organized and led the first internationally recognized Ecumenical Service between Catholics and Protestants between the parishes of Middleton Congregational and St. Agnes Parish. In 1979, he authored "The Shadow of the Wind," a novel of psychological fiction, which he described as "a catharsis reflecting his passions and frustrations" during the high tide of the textile industry in Fall River and southeastern Massachusetts. In 1991 he was very proud that his eldest child, Richard French Wilcox, led the first, successful New England Expedition to Everest.