Updated: Family Releases Funeral Details for Groveland’s Sciacca

This story has been updated with funeral information.

Richard T. Sciacca.

Former Groveland Selectman Richard “Dick” Sciacca, 67, died Wednesday, Groveland Finance Director Denise Dembkoski confirmed Thursday.

At different times, Sciacca served as a member of the board of selectmen and school committee. He was also elected as town clerk. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Groveland Cemetery Commission.

“He did more for that town than anyone I can remember. No one ever did more for that town than Dick Sciacca,” said John “Jack” Bevelaqua, a former member of the Groveland Board of Health and former host of WHAV’s Open Mike Show. Bevelaqua said he favors construction of a monument to Sciacca at Washington Park.

Bevelaqua said Sciacca served as a Boy Scout leader for Troop 88 for many years; coach of the Groveland Little League team, the pirates; and Democratic Town Committee. Sciacca was a lifetime member of Knights of Columbus—and the last member of the Colombian Squires, Bevelaqua said. He was the 1966 senior class president at Pentucket High School.

Sciacca was born in Cambridge, Jan. 20, 1948, son of the late Joseph and Mary (Pasquariello) Sciacca. Educated in the Groveland school system, he graduated from Pentucket High with the class of 1966. He was the class president for three of the four high school years. He later earned his teaching degree at Salem State College and taught elementary classes in area schools in Mass. and N.H.

During the Vietnam War, he served in the United States Seabees and received a Navy Unit Commendation and National Defense Service Medal. While helping during the 1969 Hurricane Camille, he suffered a severe back injury and was honorably discharged. Sciacca was elected as Groveland Town Clerk for three terms and formerly was a selectman for the town for more than nine years. He was the Riverview Cemetery Commissioner for six years, an instrumental part of Groveland Baseball for 22 years and a coach of the Pirates. He was an active parishioner of Saint Patrick’s Church where he was a Eucharistic Minister and a teacher of the CCD courses.

His survivors include three brothers, John and his wife Marcia of Plaistow, Joseph and his wife Kathleen of Groveland and Paul and his wife Kathleen of Merrimac; three sisters, Ann Siney of Bradford, Josephine Marchisio and her husband Anthony of Groveland, and Patricia Rogers and her husband Wilbur of Salisbury; 18 nieces and nephews; and several great nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother-in-law, Robert Siney and sister-in-law, Rita Sciacca.

His calling hours are Sunday, Feb. 1 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the H.L. Farmer & Sons Funeral Home, 106 Summer St. Haverhill. His funeral will be Monday, Feb. 2, beginning at 9 a.m. at the funeral home followed by a Funeral Mass of Christian Burial at 10 in St. Patrick’s Church, Groveland. Interment follows in Riverview Cemetery, Groveland. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Richard T Sciacca Memorial Fund, c/o TD Bank 280 Main St., Groveland, MA 01834, which will be used for the Town of Groveland Senior Citizens.