Charles Richard "Dick" D'Amato - Obituary

harles Richard “Dick” D’Amato Charles Richard “Dick” D’Amato, a longtime Annapolis resident, public servant, sailor, teacher, attorney, and devoted husband, passed away on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in Pasadena, Maryland. Born September 28, 1942, in Rutherford, New Jersey, to Evelyn Atkins and Charles D’Amato, MD, Dick was the oldest of four children. After his father died when Dick was only ten, he took on an early role as a mentor to his younger brother and sisters. He grew up playing baseball and basketball, attended Rutherford High School, and graduated from Cornell University. He later studied international relations at Tufts, where he met his first wife, Donna Apgar, and continued his studies at the Fletcher School. He earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. During the Vietnam War, Dick served in the U.S. Navy before beginning a long career in the U.S. Congress. He remained in the Naval Reserve for another 30 years, retiring as a Captain. On Capitol Hill, he served first as Legislative Director to Congressman James M. Jeffords, then as Legislative Assistant and Chief of Staff to Senator Abraham Ribicoff. He later became Staff Director and Counsel to Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd and ultimately served as Chief Democratic Counsel of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Over roughly two decades, Dick helped shape legislation, build support among senators, and work on issues of national and international importance. Dick was particularly proud of creating institutions that would outlast his own tenure in the Senate. He helped establish the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission and a bipartisan group of senior senators focused on arms control negotiations with the Soviet Union, contributing to a major treaty limiting nuclear weapons in Europe. Earlier in his career, he also helped organize one of the first U.S. Senate hearings on climate change, an issue that remained important to him throughout his life. Dick later served as a Maryland State Delegate representing District 30 from 1999 to 2003, and contributed to numerous state commissions, higher education boards, and environmental organizations. Dick loved to travel and had visited every continent. He was an avid sailor, reader, and lifelong learner, with a particular love for the Chesapeake Bay and the arts. A passionate advocate for addressing climate change, he remained committed to service long after retiring, continuing to serve on local boards and commissions. He remained curious and engaged throughout his life, always eager to learn and take on new challenges. And through it all, Dick never lost his sharp sense of humor. Even until the very end, his wit and ability to make those around him laugh were cherished by his family and friends. Dick is survived by his wife, Dorothy Walsh; his son, Kalden Namgyal; his brother, Vincent Hickey (Carol Hickey); his sisters, Christine Corcoran (Jim Corcoran) and Marianne Lancer; and his nieces and nephews, Jonathan Hickey, Allison Hickey, Lauren Hickey, Timothy McKenzie (Joyce Nopper), Catherine McKenzie (Yasser Aleman Gomez), Alex McKenzie (Elizabeth Leon), Kohler McKenzie (Elyse Forbes), and Shane Lancer (Emma Kravet). He was preceded in death by his niece, Morgan Lancer. Dick will be remembered for his extraordinary life of public service, his curiosity and willingness to take on new challenges, his love of sailing and the Chesapeake, and above all, for the people he chose to serve, mentor, and welcome into his life. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and The Tibet Fund in Dick’s memory. A Celebration of Life for Dick will be held on October 23 at Carroll’s Creek, 410 Severn Ave., Annapolis, MD 21403. Friends and family are warmly invited to gather at 11 a.m.