Richard Allison “Dick” DeKay, age 89, passed away on September 22, 2026, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was born in Newark, New Jersey to Earl C. and Ethel (Senning) DeKay.

Dick was a happy child who enjoyed his early school years in Bloomfield, NJ. While in school he was interested in the violin, but his main interest was the Boy Scouts. He enjoyed scout camp, and worked diligently on badges to earn his Eagle Scout designation in high school. He was also a sports fan, particularly interested in the New York Giants.

Following graduation from Bloomfield High School in 1955, Dick attended Rutgers University, graduating with a B.A. in Mathematics in 1959. This degree led to a career with Lincoln Life where he spent 42 years.

Dick met Gwen, the love of his life, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, through the University Club in April of 1963. After a two-year courtship, Dick and Gwen married on May 22, 1965. They started their family with the birth of one daughter, Bethany, in 1967, followed by a second daughter, Cynthia, in 1970.

Dick enjoyed being a father, taking his girls sledding in winter and swimming and biking in the summer. He was always present at parent-teacher conferences, recitals, and extracurricular activities.

He often participated in community sponsored bicycle events, riding up to 50 kilometers at a time.

In the Autumn of his life, Dick took up ballroom dancing; first to please his wife, then for his own enjoyment. The two of them became fixtures at many ballroom dance events.

While enjoying these activities, Dick did not wish to neglect his spiritual life. He found a group of like-minded people seeking spiritual truth at the Unity Church of Fort Wayne, where he served two years as board president.
Early on, Dick was involved with the Glenwood Park neighborhood association, serving one year as organizer of the annual neighborhood picnic.

While physical activities became more difficult after retirement, Dick thoroughly enjoyed reading for pleasure. He took full advantage of the Allen County Public Library, checking out many different authors through the years. He also kept busy volunteering for the American Red Cross and watching his grandson, Evan, running track, playing lacrosse, and playing bass in high school concerts. Crossword puzzles were also a favorite pastime; he took pride in always completing the Sunday paper crossword in ink.

Dick completed a life-long goal to visit all 50 states, enjoying the beauty of all parts of the U.S.A. He also traveled to several foreign countries, including Russia, the Virgin Islands, Canada, France, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, and Switzerland. He enjoyed traveling by train, which freed him to enjoy the scenery along the way.

As a direct descendant of farmers in what was then the colony of New Amsterdam, Dick had a life-long fascination with the history of the American Revolution, and U.S. history in general. He took his family to Philadelphia in 1976 to celebrate the bicentennial, visiting every available historical site. On any trip outside Indiana, he would always take a detour to visit historic battlefields.

Dick is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Gwen DeKay; daughters, Bethany (Todd Brown) DeKay and Cynthia (Adam Reef) Faraday; and grandson Evan (Holly) Brown.

He was also preceded in death by his brother, Earl Clair DeKay.

A private memorial gathering will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the American Red Cross or Boy Scouts of America. To sign the guestbook, go to www.fairhavenfortwayne.com.