Richard Nelson Macnair

Oct. 19, 1929 – Sept. 13, 2026
September 21, 2026

Richard Nelson Macnair, of Cambridge, Mass., passed away in Newcastle on Sept. 13, 2026. He was a beloved and vibrant father and grandfather, a keenly intellectual conversationalist, an avid gardener and horticulturist, a competition pistol shooter, and a brilliant Scrabble player. He had the most infectious grin and twinkle in his eyes that drew people to him and made for instant and lasting friendships.
Dick was born on Oct. 19, 1929 in Newton, Mass. to M. Louise and Luther Macnair and spent his childhood in Tilton, N.H. and Lyndon, Vt. He graduated from Middlebury College in 1952 with a degree in organic chemistry, followed by a two-year stint in the Army serving one year in the South Korea conflict zone.
Upon his return, he pursued a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Delaware. His doctoral research focused on synthesizing organic compounds for potential anticonvulsant technology. He was quick to point out, though, that testing of those compounds never produced any significant help, so he didn’t become famous. Dick’s career as a research chemist primarily focused on developing protective apparel coatings for the Army labs in Natick, Mass.
Dick first met his future wife, Wanda Mae Decker Macnair, at his father’s office of the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, where she served as a membership volunteer. “She seemed pretty nice,” he said. They quickly became inseparable for the next 67 years.
When Dick and Wanda were courting, he determined that she must fall in love with Maine and his family farm in Bremen before they could marry. She did! This yielded a spur-of-the-moment marriage proposal one rainy afternoon parked in front of Weston’s Hardware in Waldoboro in the late 1950s. They were married on Jan. 2, 1960 and became loving parents to their son, Doug.
Dick and Wanda were avid gardeners who were active in the American Begonia Society, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, where they assisted with initial plant inventories on the property and became early supporters and longtime members. They traveled north to Bremen weekly for over 60 years, except in the coldest winter months, to grow, can, preserve, and freeze their annual vegetable and fruit crops, spend time with dear friends, and bake countless pies over the three-burner kerosene stove in their 250-year-old farmhouse overlooking Muscongus Bay.
Dick was especially happy to return to his Midcoast Maine roots at The Lincoln Home, with friends and family nearby and his family farm a short drive away. He looked forward to engaging in conversation with residents and staff while taking in views of the bucolic Damariscotta River flowing in the backyard. The Lincoln Home gave him great hope. We are eternally grateful for the kindness, compassion, dignity, and many chocolate milkshakes he received from the truly remarkable staff during his short stay there.
Dick was predeceased by his wife, Wanda; and is survived by his son, Douglas Cameron Macnair; his daughter-in-law, Lisa Conway Macnair; and his grandson, Christopher Knight Macnair. A celebration of his life at the family farm in Bremen will be held on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 2 p.m.