NAHANT — The Honorable Richard DeBenedetto, age 89, of Nahant and formerly of Lynn, died on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at his home, surrounded by his loving family.
Born and educated in Lynn, he was the son of the late Joseph and Pia (Accomando) DeBenedetto. He graduated from Lynn Classical High School, Northeastern University and received his Juris Doctorate from Boston University, all while working at Sylvania to pay for his education.
He began his career as an attorney in Springfield before moving to Washington, D.C. to work in the White House Legal Office under President Richard Nixon. While serving as legal counsel in the White House, Richard worked closely with the Justices on the United States Supreme Court. In the early 1970s, he voluntarily went to Puerto Rico to serve as a federal judge during a volatile time for federal employees there and later served as a federal administrative law judge with OSHA.
He returned home to Massachusetts where he completed his career as a federal judge in Boston and has lived in Nahant for more than 25 years. He was a communicant of the former St. Patrick’s Church and Sacred Heart Parish in Lynn. He was an avid reader, loved listening to classical and symphony music, and was a wine enthusiast. He was very family oriented and enjoyed spending time and sharing stories with his many nieces and nephews.
Richard is survived by his niece, Maria Migliaccio-Eddows and her husband Michael of Nahant; nephews, David Migliaccio and his wife Jacqui of Salem, and Salvy Migliaccio and his wife Anne of Lynn; great-nieces, Jayna Migliaccio, Deanna Migliaccio and Christina Eddows; great-nephews, Salvy Rocco Migliaccio, Anthony Migliaccio, Joseph Migliaccio, Richard DeBenedetto and Darian Eddows; great-grand niece Faye and great-grand nephews Dante, Salvy Rocco Jr. and Jaxson. He also leaves many cousins including Mary DiPrizito of Salem, Margaret Ciota of Lynn and Nino Guiliano of Canada. Richard was the brother of the late Susan DeBenedetto and Concetta “Connie” Migliaccio, and brother-in-law to the late Salvatore “Salvy” Migliaccio.
Service information: A funeral will be held on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. from the SOLIMINE Funeral Home, 67 Ocean St. (Route 1A), Lynn, followed by a funeral Mass in St. Pius V Church, Lynn, at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Lynn. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Visiting hours will be on Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. Donations in his memory may be made to the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Association, 311 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472 or at www.alzmass.org, in memory of his sister Concetta. Directions and online guestbook at www.solimine.com.
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