DELRAY BEACH — Dickie McCusker died surrounded by family in his Delray Beach home on May 2, four years after a cancer diagnosis. He was 67.
Dickie was born on Nov. 25, 1954, with a twin sister, Diane, in Braintree, Massachusetts. Parents Richard McCusker and Rosemary Sheehan raised the twins and five more children — Tim, Mark, Kathryn, Michael and Megan (who are also twins) — in Wellesley, Massachusetts. They spent their summers making memories at Oyster Harbors Beach on the Cape.
Dickie moved to Boca Raton with his family in 1965, where they resided in Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club. He attended elementary school at Hillsboro Day School, and then attended Alexander D. Henderson School at FAU. He was a graduate of Boca Raton High School, Class of 1973.
During his younger school years Mr. McCusker played in a garage rock band. He carried this talent with him throughout his life, as he became an accomplished drummer, singer and guitar player.
After high school, Mr. McCusker packed up his VW camper van — along with two friends, Paul Nolan and Jeff Cutts — and set out to explore life on the road, leading the hippie lifestyle characteristic of the ’70s generation. After the many places they traveled, their final stop was Cape Cod, where he worked at his cousin Jep’s restaurant.
Eventually, his journey took him to Boulder, Colorado, where he attended the University of Colorado. He then went on to study law at the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor degree. He passed the Florida Bar in 1983 and practiced in the federal courts in the Southern District of Florida. He was also licensed to practice law in Massachusetts.
Dickie met his law partner, Ken Hemmerle, while working in a law office in Boca Raton in 1985. The pair established a law firm in Fort Lauderdale and practiced together for 30 years. He later established a home office in Delray Beach.
Dickie was a champion for the “little guy,” practicing law with integrity, a big heart and a good soul.
What he loved the most in his life were his wife, Lisa, and daughter, Erin. Dickie first met Lisa Withall in high school. Little did he know that she would be the love of his life when they reconnected at a party in Old Floresta in Boca Raton in 1990. After dating for two and a half years, they were married. Three years later they welcomed their beautiful daughter, Erin, into the world.
Dickie was a devoted father spending time with Erin, who was the “apple of his eye.” He was also a wonderful son-in-law, who dropped what he was doing to join Ted Withall for a game of golf or to visit Ted and Helen Withall.
Dickie had a love for life, nature and his music. He was an avid reader, loved to cook, and was a huge foodie. He spent his free time running on the beach and many of those years with his dog, Tybee. He rarely missed a day practicing yoga, his favorite being Bikram.
He continued to perform with his friends and band members Greg Welch, J.P. Goss, Jimmy Pearl, Kenny Ropp, John Gillespie, Michael Biro and Paul Norris up until the pandemic.
Dickie did not miss a beat in living life to its fullest. His energy and fun-loving spirit will be missed by his family and friends.
Dickie is survived by his wife and daughter, Lisa and Erin McCusker; siblings Diane McCusker Dopheide (husband Jeff and daughter Caitlin); Megan McCusker Shalvoy (husband Mike, daughter Meredith and son Sean); Kathryn McCusker Johnston (husband David and daughter Hannah); Tim McCusker (wife Carol Marinelli McCusker); Michael McCusker, and Mark McCusker. Other survivors are cousin Thomas Jeptha Smith, sister-in-law Robin Withall Cox, and nephew J.J. McDonough (wife Elizabeth Ziegenfuss and sons Kane and Van).
The family is grateful to Bertha Prosper of Vitas Hospice for her loving care.
Please join us for a celebration of Dickie’s life from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 11 at Chapel 4, 200 SE Seventh Avenue, Delray Beach.
In lieu of flowers, donate to one of Mr. McCusker’s favorite charities:
• World Central Kitchen, donate.wck.org, led by chef Jose Andres, first to the front lines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate and community crises.
• Make A Wish Foundation, wish.org, creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
— Obituary submitted by the family
Comments