Richard W. Smallfield

Richard William Smallfield, a longtime resident of Medfield, died Monday December 27, 2010 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He was 83. Rick was preceded in death by his dear wife Shirley (Bosselman); his sisters Dora, Ann and Martha; and his brother Robert. Rick was born January 12, 1927 in Pipestone Minnesota, one of five children of William H. and Anna (Meyer) Smallfield. He was a successful farmer until 1955 when he decided to fully pursue his lifelong interest in electronics. He worked as a rural electrical and telephone installer for a time while enrolled in electronics school in Minneapolis. He subsequently got a job with Remington Rand UNIVAC in 1957 and was relocated to Needham where he helped to install the first computer in New England for the William Carter Company. As computers became more common, he was hired by Raytheon in 1964 and frequently traveled throughout the United States, Europe and Asia installing, servicing, and teaching their minicomputer systems. When computers became physically smaller, he worked for Telex and then Honeywell-Bull. During his retirement, Rick became very involved in the Medfield Senior Center. He participated in woodcarving and singing groups, led chair-caning classes and taught weekly computer workshops. He successfully spearheaded a campaign to build a new Bocci court at the center in the summer of 2010. He was very active in his church, participated in the choir, bible study, and fellowship groups, and began serving as a Stephen Minister in 2008. Throughout his life, Rick pursued numerous interests including woodworking, painting, leatherwork, boating, and gardening. He played the accordion, guitar and piano. He was in constant motion.

He is survived by his son William of Cheshire, CT; his brother in-law Ernie and wife Barbara Bosselman of North Falmouth; his nephew Stephen Bosselman of North Falmouth, niece Jane and husband Jim Mignone of Barrington, RI, niece Julie and husband John Gray of Wellesley, nephew David and wife Julie Bosselman of North Falmouth, niece Kathy (Anderson) and husband David Bieritz of Sterling, VA, and nephew Paul Cornelius of Albuquerque, NM. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral Monday, January 3rd at 11AM at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 600 Central Street, Holliston.  Interment will be Saturday, January 8th at 11 AM at the Brookdale Cemetery in Dedham.  Visitation will be Sunday, January 2nd from 3-5 PM at the Folsom Funeral Home, 649 High Street, WESTWOOD.   In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Medfield Senior Center, Medfield Council on Aging, One Ice House Road, Medfield, MA 02052, (508) 359-3665 ( www.thecenteratmedfield.com ) or Christ the King Lutheran Church, 600 Central Street, Holliston, MA 01746, (508) 429-5705 ( www.christtheking-holliston.org ).