Richard M. Kerrigan, of Marshfield and formerly of Scituate, passed away on September 26, 2026, at the age of 87.

If you knew Richard, you knew he had a story to tell—and usually an opinion to go with it.

A proud son of Jamaica Plain, Richard loved remembering the adventures of his childhood with his siblings and close friends, especially Gene and Johnny Hunt. His life changed when he met Mildred “Millie” Fahey in a CYO bowling league. He was smitten, they married in 1966, and together they built a family and a life south of Boston. They settled in Scituate, where Richard loved the ocean and the family-oriented community. Later, he and Millie became snowbirds, dividing their time between Scituate and Naples, Florida.

Richard was endlessly curious and always interested in learning. He liked to say that his education started at the First National grocery store in Jamaica Plain, where he worked as a youngster. He graduated from Mission High School in Roxbury and remained especially fond of the Xaverian Brothers who ran the school. He went on to Northeastern University, graduating in 1963 through the ROTC program, and later earned his master’s degree in engineering there, an accomplishment that gave him great pride.

He served as an Army officer and later in the reserves, before beginning his engineering career with Westinghouse. He eventually joined Stone & Webster in Boston, where he worked on the design of nuclear power plants. But Richard was never someone who stayed in just one lane. In his early 40s, he left engineering to pursue his passion for real estate. For the next 30 years, he bought and managed apartment buildings and office complexes throughout Boston, Western Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. He loved negotiating the deals and then resolving all of the day-to-day issues that would arise.

He was equally passionate about investing and loved explaining the power of compounding to his grandchildren. The occasional blank stare from his audience did not deter him in the slightest.

To his grandchildren, he was simply “Boppy”—a nickname given to him by his first grandchild, Sarah. Boppy loved life. He loved dinner-time games with the grandchildren, especially when chicken parmesan was involved. He loved taking his Double Eagle out along the New England coast, bombing down the slopes of Waterville Valley, cranking Creedence Clearwater Revival in the poolroom, and golfing—or searching for lost golf balls—around Hatherly Golf Club. He loved driving the grandchildren around on his John Deere tractor, making daily bets with his younger brother about the Dow, playing poker with family and friends, gardening, setting goals for himself and everyone around him, and adopting dogs, cats, and the occasional farm animal.

He loved walking the beaches of Minot and Marco Island and spending time on his beloved National Seashore beaches. He enjoyed mentoring through the Big Brother program and was always willing to share investment advice with anyone who would listen. And through it all, his family was at the center. Most importantly, Richard loved attending Mass with his wife and family.

Richard was the beloved husband of Mildred E. Kerrigan (Fahey); loving father of Michael Kerrigan and his wife Mary of Hingham, Sean Kerrigan and his wife Emily of Cohasset, and Christine Kerrigan of Montreal, Canada; and proud “Boppy” of Sarah, Molly, Michael, Claire, Maeve, Wynne, Elle, and Grant.

He was the brother of Paul Kerrigan of Key West, FL; Patricia Day of Sandwich, MA; Peggy McSweeney of Waltham, MA; and Brian Kerrigan of Port St. Lucie, FL. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Mass at St. Anthony’s Church, 10 Summer Street, Cohasset, on October 15 at 10:30 AM. A Celebration of Life gathering will follow at the Cohasset Lightkeepers.

In keeping with Boppy’s beliefs, he would have a few suggestions. First, in keeping with his “style,” please feel free to leave the formal attire at home. He would only ask that you dress respectfully for Mass.

Second, in lieu of flowers, Boppy would have wanted you to do what mattered most to him: give the people you love an extra hug and take a walk somewhere beautiful. And, as always, “keep smiling.”

Online condolences may be shared at Keohane.com.