Deceased October 22, 2022
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In Memory
Dr. Richard N. Kaplan, 90, died on October 22, 2022, in Exeter, New Hampshire.
Richard, later known as Dick, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts; he was the son of the late A. Milton Kaplan and Rosalynd (Davis) Kaplan.
Dick was educated at Worcester Academy prior to attending Amherst College. After Amherst, he received a MD degree from Boston University School of Medicine in 1958 and was honored with membership in Alpha Omega Alpha for his scholastic achievements. While in Boston, he met and married his wife, Sue, and they had their first child.
In 1962, the family moved to Puerto Rico, where Dick served as a captain in the USAF Medical Corps and as an internist and chief of medicine at Ramey AFB Hospital. During their stint in Puerto Rico, Sue and Dick enjoyed the island and the officers’ club, in addition to welcoming a second daughter to their family.
He came to Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1964 and joined the Exeter Clinic and Exeter Hospital as a primary care internist. He was chief of medicine at the Exeter Hospital from 1970-1980. He was the corporate medical director for Wheelabrator-Frye of Hampton, New Hampshire; Goodwin’s of Exeter Nursing Home; and for Langdon Place Assisted Living. He served a term on the Exeter School Board. Following his retirement from clinical practice in 1993, he became a physician adviser and peer clinical utilization reviewer for John Hancock, Wellpoint/Unicare GIC in Andover, Massachusetts, and later at Wellpoint/Anthem Health Insurers in Manchester, New Hampshire. He was also a volunteer for IMEC , a company that refurbishes medical supplies and equipment for use in third world countries, in North Andover, Massachusetts.
Outside of his medical practice, Dick enjoyed a full life. He and Sue were very dedicated to their son Jimmy and contributed a great amount to increasing services for the developmentally disabled in southern New Hampshire. Dick enjoyed traveling, cooking, woodwork, skiing and opera, to name a few of his interests. He loved his time at Amherst College, attended many of the Reunions, stayed and touch with his classmates, kept abreast of Amherst news and sent his two daughters to the College (Lisa Press ’82 and Karen Koffink ’85).
Richard was a caring father, grandfather and husband; a compassionate listener, trusted mentor/adviser and friend to many. He had a dry sense of humor that will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his son, James Kaplan of Portsmouth; his daughters, Lisa Press (William) of South Hamilton, Massachusetts; Karen Koffink (Kevin) of Burlington, Massachusetts; his five grandchildren, Charlotte Luber (Matthew), Dylan Press (Hanna), Annabelle Press, Courtney Koffink and Amanda Koffink; and his great-grandson, Beau Luber, and great-granddaughter, Sydney Luber. Richard was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Sue Kaplan, and his brother Jay Marvin Kaplan ’50.
Lisa Kaplan Press ’82