Richard Kinsella, of West Hartford, passed away on November 13, 2019. Ex-Navy Seal, Diplomat, Patriot, he served his country honorably from 1941 onwards.

Richard was born in Hartford on February 15, 1922, the eldest of three sons, in addition to two daughters, of the late George F. and Dorothea (Mooney) Kinsella.  After hitchhiking cross-country to California at the age of 18 and following America's entrance into World War II in December of 1941, Richard signed with the U.S. Coast Guard for merchant marine training, reaching the level of Deck Officer until ordered to active naval duty in late 1950. When the Korean (Peace Action) War began, he was assigned as a Lieutenant Junior Grade to an Underwater Demolition Team Five ("Frogmen", precursors of the Navy SEALS) until December of 1952. Afterwards, he attended Georgetown University School of Foreign Service where he graduated, with honors, in 1955. During a summer session in Mexico City, he met and married Conchita Harper Camacho, his wife of more than sixty years. Upon graduation from Georgetown, he worked for the Maritime Administration/Federal Maritime Board (MARAD/FMB) until 1972, when he was selected by the Maritime Administration as Foreign Maritime Representative/Maritime Attaché at the US Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela. In 1976, he was transferred to the Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro, where he remained until retiring in July of 1987. Upon retirement he returned to Connecticut, residing first in Wethersfield until 2005 and West Hartford since.

In addition to wife, Conchita, Richard is survived by: three sons, Marco, Robert and John, and daughter, Dianne; two grandsons, Matthias and Maximilian, and four granddaughters, Liana and her husband William Eller IV, Alaina, Lili and Celine, and great-grandson William Eller. Linda Kinsella, widow of brother George Brendon Kinsella and Anne-Marie Kinsella, widow of James Hall Kinsella, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, also survive him. Richard's seven-year-old son, James Kinsella, his brothers James Hall Kinsella and George Brendon Kinsella, his sisters Catherine S. Hogan, and Mary Ann Kinsella, all predeceased him.

The funeral service will begin 9:00 AM on Tuesday, November 19th,  at the Dillon-Baxter Funeral Home, 1276 Berlin Turnpike, Wethersfield.  Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM in St. Augustine Church, 10 Campfield Ave, Hartford.  Burial with full military honors will follow in Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield.  Calling hours will be from 5:00 - 8:00 PM on Monday, November 18th, at the funeral home.

Charitable contributions may be made to: Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105-33678, or to a charity of the donor's choice.  Please click the 'Guestbook' tab to the left to share a memory with the family.