Richard E. Tanzi

Richard “Ric” E. Tanzi, 64, of Templeton, died peacefully Tuesday, March 30, 2021, in his residence after a courageous short battle with Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Born in Boston on January 2, 1957, he was the son of the late Emilio and Dora (Tedeschi) Tanzi. He graduated from Waltham High School with the Class of 1975 and attended the New England Aeronautical Institute in New Hampshire. Ric was a Coach Bus Driver employed by Fox Bus Line of Millbury for 11-years and All Seasons Limousine of Boxboro for 17-years. He previously owned and operated a hamburger shack at Salisbury Beach for a few years and Beef N Ale Restaurant in Acton for many years. He was previously employed by Avenue Super Market of Cambridge and Green Gardens of Readville.

Ric was a jokester and loved to tell jokes and make people happy. He loved to travel both for work and for personal enjoyment. Ric enjoyed sitting on the boardwalk at Atlantic City people watching and smoking a cigar; laughing with Jackie at all the different characters that they would see. He was great with weird facts and would love to stump Jackie with questions and would laugh with her while she tried to answer. He loved to write, and he could write so expressively. Ric was an excellent cook and was known for his Italian food and making beef cutlets from scratch. He was an avid fan of the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics and enjoyed being a goalie on an amateur hockey team and teaching kids how to play hockey. Ric loved to try out new restaurants to see if he could find the best Veal Parmesan. Ric’s ultimate goal every day was to make Jackie smile and laugh and he achieved that everyday right up until his last day on earth. But the time Ric loved and cherished the most was spent with his family.

Ric is survived by his wife of 11-years, Jacqueline A. (Alie) Johnson of Templeton; two stepsons, Josh Johnson and his significant other Ryan Lawrence of Petersham, and Corey Johnson and his significant other Vanessa Boudreau of Winchendon; two brothers, Michael Tanzi and his wife Pamela of Millis, and David Tanzi and his wife Linda of Pacifica, CA; four step-grandchildren, Jack, Jase Joseph and Julia Johnson; an aunt, Lee Kennedy of Norwood; several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was predeceased by a step-grandchild, Jaylin Johnson.

Funeral Services will be private and held at the convenience of the family.

The family would like to thank the team at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Beacon Hospice for the exceptional care, compassion and support they provided.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer in support of Dr. Edwin Choy’s Sarcoma Research by mailing gifts to MGH Development Office, Attention: Keith Erickson, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114, with tribute to Richard Tanzi on the memo line or on their website at (www.giving.massgeneral.org/donate/)or to the American SIDS Institute, 528 Raven Way, Naples, FL, 34110 or on their website at (www.sids.org). Please reference in memory of Richard E. Tanzi.