Richard Arthur Poirier, 81, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 27, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. Born in Newport, Rhode Island on February 12, 1945, he was a beloved father, brother, teacher, and public servant.

He is survived by children Karl, Nicole, and Benjamin, fifteen grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as siblings Lionel, Dolores, Gloria, Ronald, Robert, and Charles. and predeceased by wife Jeanne (Burns) Poirier, son Mark Poirier, and sister Denise.

A wake will be held on Monday, July 6th from 4 - 7pm at Robbins Funeral Home, 2251 Mineral Spring Ave, North Providence. His funeral will be held on Tuesday, July 7th at 8:45 am from the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 901 Atwells Ave., Providence. Burial will be in St. Ann Cemetery.

He attended Our Lady of Lourdes primary school, Maryknoll Seminary, and La Salle Academy. He graduated from Providence College with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology, and went to complete a Master’s Degree in Genetics at University of Wisconsin.

As a young man, Richard served as a Centredale volunteer firefighter. He also worked as an orderly at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital and in the obstetrics lab at Lying-In Hospital. He went on to a career in education as a public high school teacher in Providence and Brockton public schools that spanned five decades. He was beloved by students, many of whom maintained friendships with him for years well after graduation. Outside of school he loved to empower the youths in his life with practical skills such as machine repair and the proper use of hand and power tools,

Richard was also a dedicated community servant, involving himself in many different arenas that were important to him. An avid conservationist, he was involved in local, state, and federal campaigns to protect and better the environment. He served on the Smithfield Conservation Commission, was a founding member of “Dump the Dump”, worked to safeguard local drinking water wells, and intervened in nuclear regulatory commission hearings on a proposed power plant in Charlestown. He was the head of the RI State Conservation Commissioners, and served several terms as a Smithfield Town Council member, including as president.

He, along with his loving wife Jeanne, took on the role as family leaders at a young age after the death of his father. If aid was needed, they were there - whether his mother or siblings needed medical, mechanical, transportation, or moral support. He was often the rock for his aging mother, and carried on the tradition with his children, nieces, and nephews.

Richard’s interests were varied and broad-reaching. He had an adventurous spirit that led him to pursue hobbies such as sailing, quahog diving, cycling, swimming, foraging, cooking, learning new languages, gardening, brewing, and yard “sailing”. In his thirties, he led groups of friends and family on a bicycle trip from Providence to Washington, DC and another one to circumnavigate Nova Scotia.

The family wishes to thank Hope Hospice for their care and compassion. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Save the Bay in Richard’s memory.