After fighting a fierce war with an implacable adversary, John Richard (Rick) Davies 3rd, died on Dec. 14 at the McCarthy Care Center in Sandwich.

Rick was born in Springfield on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 1952. He was a mischievous, fun-loving kid. While he never attended college, Rick earned a PhD in the school of hard knocks. Rick started work at an early age, picking tobacco in the Connecticut Valley. He tried his hand at lumberjacking and enjoyed exercising and riding horses in the Berkshires.

Along with other family members, Rick moved to the Island in the late 1970s, learning many trades including, carpentry, masonry, shucking scallops and commercial fishing. Rick enjoyed riding his Harley Davidson and made many friends here. Rick lived in Arizona, where he attended Harley Davidson mechanic school, then moved to California. A few years later, he headed back to the east coast and drove a cab in Miami with his dad, Jack.

Rick then moved to Bradenton Beach where he was a short order cook and a handyman at three Econo Lodge properties on the beach. After beating the demons of alcohol and drugs, he returned to the Vineyard in 2010, where he was reunited with his family and friends. Rick was a very spiritual man and had great faith in God. He said his prayers daily and was a communicant of Good Shepherd Parish. He had a great devotion to the Blessed Mother and St. Francis of Assisi. When his illnesses and surgeries limited his mobility, he would spend hours on the front porch praying, watching the birds and squirrels at the front yard feeders, feeding a couple of stray cats and visiting with friends.

He enjoyed reading Conan the Barbarian novels and Louis L’Amour Westerns. In his last few years, Rick put together and painted many model sailing ships. He was a talented artist and gave his family and friends beautifully detailed pencil drawings of their homes. Rick spent many happy times with his mother, Louise, before she died in 2016, and felt so blessed to reconnect with his family.

He was so proud of his daughters, his grandchildren and his nieces and nephews. Thanks to his friends David Berube, Tom Berninger and Jon Devaney, Rick had a glorious 2018 summer, spending happy hours sitting in a Boston Whaler, poles in the water on Sengekontacket Pond. While they never caught a fish, he was happy to just be out on the water with great companions. Rick rarely complained even though he lived with excruciating pain for the last 10 years of his life. He was so polite and appreciative of the care and love of his family and friends.

The family is extremely grateful for his caregiver, Dr. Gerry Yukevich; his Hope Hospice caregivers Joyce, Louise, Tanya, Keisha, Rachel, Erin, Liz and Melissa; nurses Cheryl and Sandy; the staff at the McCarthy Care Center; social workers Joanne and Donna; Thad, his former counselor; Michele and Rosanne from Caregiver Homes; Dr. Pieter Pil; Fr. Michael Nagle, whose daily visits at the end of his days gave Rick great spiritual comfort; the Hospice chaplain, Vera O’Brien, who sat and prayed with Rick for many hours; Mike Hochman, who visited Rick every summer.

Rick was predeceased by his parents, John and Louise Davies, his wife, Susan, and his dog Beau.

He is loved and missed by his daughters, Christine and Brenda, his sisters, Deb and Tena, his brothers, Billy, Doug and Gerry, his six grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. He is also missed by his aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

A memorial mass will be held on May 18, 2019, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Oak Bluffs followed by a graveside service at the Sacred Heart Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Good Shepherd Parish of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1058, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 or the McCarthy Care Center, 73 Service Rd, E. Sandwich, MA 02537.

Arrangements provided by Chapman Cole and Gleason in Oak Bluffs. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guest book and information.