In Memoriam: David L. Tuttle, Jr., 1929-2024
Owned R.P. Smith and Son Insurance and Saw Its Expansion Into Massachusetts
David L. Tuttle, Jr., 94, of Bellingham, Massachusetts, died Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at the Milford Regional Medical Center after a period of declining health. Born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, on July 3, 1929, he was the son of David L. Tuttle, Sr. and Margaret Keegan Tuttle. His beloved wife Margaret died in 2016, after more than 63 years of marriage.
He is survived by three sons: David L. Tuttle III of Bellingham; Timothy J. Tuttle and his wife Bernadette of Arlington; Thomas T. Tuttle, Esq. of Canton; and two daughters: Mary T. Cembrola and her husband Robert of Grafton and Ellen M. Tuttle of Arlington. He leaves four grandchildren: Katherine Wrenn, MD and her husband Patrick of Needham; Anna Sangalang and her husband Michael of Norwood; Matthew Cembrola of Worcester and Shannon Tuttle of Weymouth. He also leaves five dearly loved great-grandchildren: Maia, James, Daniel, Jack and Connor. David is survived by his brother Alan M. Tuttle and his wife Barbara of Dennis and was preceded in death by his sister Jane Darling and his brothers John, Robert, Richard and Howard. He also leaves his sisters -in-law Alice Tuttle and Julia Tuttle, numerous cousins, nephews, nieces and many dear friends.
His large family was a joy and comfort in his life; he lost his mother when he was just two years old, and for several years he and his siblings were cared for by his paternal grandparents on their farm in North Bellingham. His mother’s parents and his many maternal aunts also played a huge role in his happiness in his early childhood and later years, creating in him a sense of welcoming and acceptance for whoever might come into his family and life, with a particular love for new babies. His father’s remarriage brought a move to South Bellingham and with time, three more brothers joined the large family.
Dave was educated in Bellingham Public Schools. Tall and athletic, he excelled at sports and was president of his class all four years of high school, graduating in 1947. Displaying his lifelong dedication to hard work, he tackled numerous jobs on and off campus, including long summers of manual labor, to support himself through to graduation from Saint Anselm College, Manchester, New Hampshire, in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in economics.
He married Margaret Quinn Tracy on February 14, 1953, at St. Mary’s Church in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, and the two were loving valentines ever after. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1953, trained at Quantico and Manassas, Virginia, and at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, serving on active duty as a communications officer for two years, and remaining in the USMC reserves until 1961, when he was honorably discharged with the rank of captain.
A return to New England led to an offer to join R.P. Smith and Son Insurance, the oldest insurance agency in Rhode Island. He spent his entire career there, expanded the agency into Massachusetts, and ultimately became the sole owner of the business that had employed his own father David, Sr., himself, and then his son David III, for a time that stretched over 100 years.
Dave was honored to serve his community as well as his country; he was the Bellingham town treasurer for several years in the early 1960’s, then served as selectman for six years. He was selectman during the town’s 250th observance in 1969, and as many men of Bellingham did that year, grew a beard to reflect on the town’s history. The dark beard and his tall, thin appearance made him locally famous for his handsome resemblance to Abraham Lincoln, and his photo appeared in the local paper as the beard was finally shaved off after the anniversary year. He was a long-time member of the United Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Bellingham Lions Club, with one term as president in each organization. He also served with dedication on the board of the Medway Co-operative Bank, now the Charles River Bank, for more than 36 years, serving as chairman of the board for six years, from 1991-1997. Devoted to his alma mater, he was long active in the Saint Anselm College Alumni Association, serving as its president for three years, from 1987-1989, a period that included the college’s centennial.
Dave was quiet, soft-spoken, and always gentle in his speech and demeanor, but had a fun- loving and adventurous spirit. He and Margy enjoyed many travels with friends and colleagues, and also enjoyed, or perhaps endured, countless trips with five growing children in a long station wagon with no air conditioning and a rear-facing way-back. Camping, hiking, beachcombing, urban, suburban and historic sites were all targets of interest, with an ice cream stop the ultimate destination. He had a marvelous memory, and well into his 90s could relate exact details from countless events of his long life, even from his earliest years. His interest in and fascination with people was constant, and ever-expanding, and he marveled at all the wonders the world of humans and nature offered. A man of great faith, he was grateful and filled with joy at the life he lived and the family he loved. Despite physical limitations as he grew older, he remained remarkably active in his reading, and unfazed by new technology, combed avidly through several newspapers online each day. In his later years, as many people of great age do, he reached first for the obituary page, checking for those he might know, wondering who he might yet find there. This is his obituary now, written with love for the wonderful man he was.
Visitation hours will be on Friday, March 15, 2024, from 5-7 p.m. at Cartier’s Funeral Home, 151 South Main Street, Bellingham, Massachusetts. People who wish to may gather at the funeral home on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. prior to proceeding to the 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Blaise Catholic Church, 1158 South Main Street, Bellingham, Massachusetts. Burial with military honors will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. The family wishes to thank the nurses of the Salmon VNA for the many years of compassionate care they provided. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either the Milford Regional Medical Center or the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry at St. Blaise Church.
To sign the guest book visit www.cartiersfuneralhome.com
