Elvin Richard (Dick) Emerson, 86, passed away January 3, 2019. He was born January 21, 1932 in Hopewell, Virginia to the late Elvin Rex and Virna (Johnson) Emerson.

A Class of 1950 alumni of Hamilton High School, Dick was raised mainly in Trenton, NJ where he married his high school sweetheart, Joan Emerson, in 1952. After their marriage, Dick and Joan left New Jersey and spent the 1950s and 1960s in Miami where Dick, after his first Honorable Discharge from active duty military, spent time as a patrol officer with the Miami Beach Police Force.

 

After enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1951, Dick served in the Korean War until 1954. Subsequently, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve, rising to serve as a Master Gunnery Sergeant and later Chief Warrant Officer Four. By the time he fully retired from the Marine Corps in 1991, Dick had devoted 40 years, 11 months, and 14 days in service to his country with the Marine Corps.

 

Meanwhile, having found success in civil engineering, he left Miami in 1974 to become the Director of Transportation and Engineering for Sarasota County until his retirement in 1994.

 

In retirement, he was a member of the Eagles and loved going to the shooting range. He and Joan loved traveling the Southeast with their friends.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 66 years, Joan; daughter, Joy Emerson Brewer and her husband Jeff of Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts; brother, Daniel B. Emerson and his wife Mary Jeanne of Juliana County, Pennsylvania; and granddaughter, Lily Elizabeth Brewer.

 

There will be a graveside service with full military honors on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 1:00 pm at Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Road 72, Sarasota, Florida 34241.

Memorial contributions in Elvin's honor to the Semper Fi Fund at www.semperfifund.org. Memories and condolences may be left online at www.MaloneyFuneralHomeCares.com.