Lee McNash Richmond

Lee McNash Richmond, Bethlehem, NH,  writer and outdoorsman, dies at 80

Beloved husband of Pam, father of Hondo and Nick, grandfather of Capel and Gus. Lee was an artist to his core, as playful as he was thoughtful, with a keen sense of humor and a great appetite for life.

Born in Portsmouth, Virginia on July 14, 1943 to Virginia and Capel McNash, Lee was subsequently adopted by Virginia’s second husband, Tom Richmond, after the WWII combat death of Capel. Raised in Bronxville, New York with his younger brothers Tom and Peter, Lee went on to study philosophy at Williams College. Suspended for twelve months after his junior year – either for driving his car onto the lawn, participating in too many extracurriculars, or both – Lee followed the beats to San Francisco, where he worked as an overnight radio man at the Chronicle. Returning East for love (and graduation), he married his first wife, Martha Weiss, in 1970. Lee worked as a welder and drove a cab in the Boston area while completing his first novel, High On Gold, which was published in 1972.

An avid outdoorsman, Lee passed on his love of hiking and boating to his two sons Hondo and Nick; together they roamed the Adirondacks in pursuit of swimming holes and wilderness hijinks. In addition to his work as a novelist, Lee was an accomplished freelance writer, with a specialty in scripts for professional education and industrial training. Lee married Pam Sullivan in 1994. At home in the deserts of New Mexico and the mountains of New Hampshire, their love found its expression in vegetable gardens, endless country projects and a menagerie of cats and dogs. Lee worked on his third book, a heavily-researched novel set during the civil war, from the historic farmhouse he and Pam restored in southern NH.  Lee and Pam moved to Bethlehem NH five years ago and Lee was cared for by Penny Keeler, Jane McGrath and others. Their kindness made all the difference. He passed away peacefully on September 8th.

Any donations in memoriam may be made to the Bethlehem Community Dinner, PO Box 125 Bethlehem NH 03574

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lee McNash Richmond, please visit our floral store.