Richard Botts
Age - 90
November 30, 2023
Richard E. Botts, formerly of Susquehanna Township, passed away Sunday November 26, 2023 at Truewood by Merrill in Glen Riddle, Delaware County at the age of 90. Born November 14, 1933, in Harrisburg, he was a son of the late Kenneth and Esther (Hoover) Botts. On May 27, 1956, he married Doris H. (Hallstrom) Botts, with whom he shared a devoted union of 50 years prior to her passing away on August 15, 2006. Dick graduated from William Penn High School in 1951. In 1956, he was inducted into the United States Army and upon completion of basic training and advanced training, he was assigned to the Transportation School at Ft. Eustis, VA as an instructor in the Harborcraft Seamanship Program. Dick was honorably discharged in 1958 with the rank of Private First Class. He completed his Associates degree in 1976 in Pre-Engineering at Harrisburg Area Community College and then earned a license as a Professional Engineer (PE) in the Fire Protection and Safety Discipline with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in March 1977. After 35 years in the Insurance industry, Dick retired from Sedgwick of Pennsylvania, Inc. , an international insurance broker, as Senior Vice President and Manager of the Risk Control Services Department. During his tenure with Sedgwick, he had also served as National Director of Property Risk Services, where he led a team of over 100 risk control personnel throughout the United States. Following his retirement, he worked on a part-time basis as the Fire Marshall for Swatara Township. Dick also founded his own consulting company, Fire Safety Consultants, Inc. , that provided safety consulting and sprinkler system design services. Dick pursued his avocation for fire service, initially as a volunteer in the City of Harrisburg and later with the Progress Fire Company. He also served as Treasurer of the Susquehanna Township Fireman's Relief Association. Former State Fire Commissioner Charles Henry appointed Dick to the statewide board charged with the development of the Fire Fighter Certification system. Dick was a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for over 30 years and was a charter member of the Fire Service Section. He was a full Member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers (PSPE), the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), where he also served on the Board of Directors and participated in the Standards Committee. Dick served on the Statewide Advisory Board of the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute (PFSI). As one of the original organizers and Advisory Committee members, Dick played an integral role in the establishment of the Fire Science Technology program at HACC. He assisted in the development of the curriculum for the program and served as an adjunct faculty member, teaching a class in Risk and Insurance designed for the Fire Science student, for over 15 years. Active in the Boy Scouts of America, he had attained the rank of Eagle Scout in 1953 and was later elected as a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow. Dick served as a Scoutmaster for 12 years, during which time he was presented the Lamb Award by the Lutheran Church in America for his outstanding service to youth. He was a life member of the Camp Curtain Fire Company, Progress Fire Company and St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Colonial Park. Dick is survived by his daughter, Karen A. (Andrew) Maher of Aston; a son, Thomas A. Botts of West Chester; grandchildren, Amanda (Mark) Kambic and Sean Maher and a great grandson. He is also survived by his brother, James Botts of Lancaster. In addition to his wife, Doris, and parents, he was preceded in death by two later wives, Ruth Sutton Botts and Margaret Botts; a daughter, Sharon Botts and an infant daughter. Relatives and friends are invited to join the family for his viewing on Monday December 4, 2023 from 11:00 A. M. to 12:00 Noon at St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4200 Londonderry Road, Harrisburg, followed by a funeral service at 12:00 Noon with Rev. James E. Person, officiating. Interment in East Harrisburg Cemetery will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name may be made to the Progress Fire Co. , 3440 Maple Street, Harrisburg, PA 17109 or St Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4200 Londonderry Road, Harrisburg, PA 17109.Show more
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