Richard Philo Burroughs, age 85, of Newbury and Woodstock, Vermont died at home in the early hours of September 5, 2022. He was with his wife Shirley and his family, who were his greatest loves. Richard was born September 22, 1936 to Rex and Alice (Ricker) Burroughs, at home in Newbury.

As a child he helped his uncles log by horse and did other farm chores common to the hillside farm of his youth. He attended the same one room schoolhouse as his father, next to the family farm. At Newbury High School, he was a member of the Future Farmers of America and raised turkeys, which provided him with money to buy a 40-acre woodlot. He met his future wife of 64 years, Shirley Ruth Thompson, in high school. They were married on July 6, 1958, in the West Newbury Church.

At 17, he joined the army where he pretended to shave a still forming beard for several years. He was stationed near Lyon, France and worked as a technician and driver of refrigerated trucks, which he regularly drove to Paris. After leaving the Army he and his new wife moved to Barre and then Lyndonville where he attended Lyndon State College. Richard's first teaching job was as a teaching principal in Reading, Vermont. He taught 6 ^th grade at the Woodstock Elementary School for over 30 years. While teaching he earned a Master of Education from Castleton College. Richard genuinely enjoyed his students and fellow teachers. He loved to learn, to read and to laugh. His infectious humor touched so many lives.

He had many interests and loved community service, becoming the President of the Windsor Orange County Credit Union. In the Mad Bavarian Band, he played the bass drum. Collecting antique cars, trucks and tractors soon spread to collecting all sorts of items that caught his fancy. His collection of runner sleds is truly impressive. He loved his woodlot, which he managed through much of his life, stewarding it into a mature forest. He loved to travel and visited many countries in Europe, Asia, Central America, and the Caribbean. He and Shirley traveled the US by train, covering most of the routes. He became a member of the Model T Club of France, parading around the French countryside with friends in one of his favorite types of antique cars.

Richard is survived by his wife Shirley; children Rick Burroughs and Jamie Krantz, Kerry and Terry White, Peter and Jane Burroughs, Kendra Burroughs and Rick Kahn; 12 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren; siblings Roland Burroughs, Barbara Thornton, Virginia Fuller, Elizbeth Ackroyd, Deborah White, and Valery Massey; countless nephews, nieces and cousins. He was predeceased by siblings Dale Burroughs, Cynthia Burroughs, Adelia Burroughs, and Darlene Burroughs.

Calling hours will be Friday September 9, 2022 from 6-8PM at Ricker Funeral Home & Cremation Care of Woodsville.  The funeral will be on Saturday September 10, 2022 at 1PM at the West Newbury Congregational Church, 184 Tyler Farm Rd, West Newbury, VT, interment will follow at Town House Cemetery.