Richard A. Wilde, 55, of Salt Point, New York, died at his family’s home on Ocean Point Road in East Boothbay on May 24, 2019.

Richard was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1963 to Wilson and Joanne Wilde, beloved members of the Boothbay community. Dick graduated from the Loomis Chafee School and Williams College before going on to receive a juris doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law and a master’s of laws in international law from the Rijksuniversiteit Leiden.

After leading business development at a Boston-area tech startup, Dick practiced immigration law and helped settle refugees in New Hampshire. Dick eventually joined ABC News in New York, where he was director of news practices and then director of development and partnerships. During his time at ABC, Dick continued to work behind the scenes helping immigrants in need of asylum secure a safe life in the United States. In 2013, Dick returned to the world of tech startups and served as senior vice president of business development at Pixel Corps. Highlights of his time with Pixel Corps included developing and producing high-visibility livestream events with President Barack Obama in the White House and with Pope Francis in the Vatican.

Dick’s proudest and most important professional work was serving on the board of the Bob Woodruff Foundation from 2012 until the time of his death. The Bob Woodruff Foundation ensures that injured veterans and their families thrive long after they return home; since its founding in 2007, the Foundation has directly impacted the lives of over three million U.S. veterans, their families, and caregivers. Dick was instrumental in the development of the foundation and was especially active in planning the foundation’s annual Stand Up for Heroes event in New York.

In 1996, Dick met and fell in love with Steven D. Smith, professor of Classics and Comparative Literature at Hofstra University, whom he married in Brookline, Massachusetts in 2004. Dick and Steven shared a home in Salt Point, New York, where their life together was one of lasting joy and deep mutual devotion. Dick adored his two dogs, Loki and Blitz. Dick always lived life to the fullest with his husband. He was an avid traveler. He loved good food, good wine, and all of life’s pleasures. He enjoyed shooting sporting clays with friends in New York’s Hudson Valley region, and throughout his life he was a passionate Red Sox fan. He was thrilled to experience the Red Sox win the World Series not once, but four times in his lifetime.

Dick is survived by his loving husband, Steven; his siblings Elisabeth L. Wilde and David W. Wilde; nephews Tucker, Kyle, Eben, Ryan, Tyler, and Christopher; and his niece Skyler. He was predeceased by his brother Stephen W. Wilde and by his parents.

His family will hold a private memorial.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Asylum & Human Rights Law Clinic at the University of Connecticut School of Law and to the Bob Woodruff Foundation.

Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Services has care of the arrangement. To extend online condolences, please visit hallfuneralhomes.com