Obituary of Richard J. Cairns

Richard J. “Dick” Cairns entered into eternal life on Wednesday, January 30, 2019. He was 93. Dick was married for 55 years to the late Marie Palladino Cairns, who died in 2009.

Dick was born in Troy to the late John J. and Virginia Brunelle Cairns.  He grew up in the Albia section of Troy and graduated from Sacred Heart School and Catholic Central High School.  He also attended Siena College in Loudonville.

Dick was a US Navy veteran of World War II; he served as a Radioman 2^nd Class aboard the USS LSM 356.  He was awarded the American Campaign Victory Medal, Asiatic Campaign with Bronze Star, Occupation Service and Combat Action Ribbon.  Dick was a member of the USS LSM-LSMR Association, the US Navy Memorial Association and the Navy League of the United States.

In 1953, Dick began his career as an Insurance Investigator with Retail Credit Co. (now Equifax Inc.).  He worked as a Senior Field Rep and Branch Office Supervisor in the Troy, Delmar and Glens Falls offices.  Dick retired from Equifax in 1984, and was then employed by the John J. Sanvidge Funeral Home in Lansingburgh.

Dick was a longtime member of the Lansingburgh Rotary and served as Sergeant at Arms for 30 years.  He was named “Rotarian of the Year” in 1990 and became a Paul Harris Fellow in 1993

Dick was an active member of the CCHS Alumni Association; and for many years he served as the Chairman of the Class of 1943 during the annual phonathon.

Dick was a communicant of St. Augustine’s Church in Lansingburgh, where he served as a Lector and Usher.  He was also past president of the Nocturnal Adoration and Holy Name Societies.

Dick is survived by his daughter and her husband, Maria Cairns and Paul Jolicoeur of Lansingburgh.  He is the brother-in-law of Diane Giammo of Troy and uncle of Larry Giammo (Rebecca Parlakian) of Rockville, Maryland. Dick is also survived by Richard Grogan (the late Mary Anne) of Troy.  Dick was predeceased by his in-laws, Daniel F. and Mary Visk Palladino; and by his niece, Sheila Giammo, who died in 1985.

Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Monday morning, February 4, 2019 at St. Augustine’s Church in Lansingburgh.

Relatives and friends are invited and may call from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 3, 2019 at the John J. Sanvidge Funeral Home, Inc., 565 Fourth Avenue (Corner of 115^th Street in Lansingburgh) Troy, NY 12182.

Interment with Navy honors will be held in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Troy.

Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Central High School, 625 Seventh Avenue, Troy, NY 12182 in memory of Richard J. Cairns.

The family would like to thank the staff at Diamond Hill Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for the kind and caring attention given to Dick over the past 2 years.

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