Richard Greville Verney

Richard Greville Verney, 79, of Bennington, NH, passed away peacefully on September 10, 2025, surrounded by family after a brave and private battle with cancer. He was born on August 24, 1946, in Providence, RI, to Gilbert and Virginia (Piggott) Verney.

Richard attended St. George’s School in Newport, RI, for his high school years and later graduated from Brown University in 1968. On August 26, 1967, he married Dorothy Howard of Kalamazoo, MI, with whom he shared a loving partnership for nearly six decades.

Richard served in the Army National Guard from 1968 to 1974. He began his career at Monadnock Paper Mills in 1969 as a management trainee and succeeded his father as CEO in 1978. Under his leadership, Monadnock—the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the United States—entered a new era of innovation, focusing on specialty and sustainable papermaking. He led the company’s expansion into emerging markets and product lines while championing environmental responsibility, technical excellence, and long-term reinvestment. In 1998, he established Monadnock Non-Wovens in Mt. Pocono, PA, to meet rising demand in the healthcare, filtration, and consumer sectors. During his tenure, Monadnock earned numerous industry certifications and honors, including a Platinum EcoVadis Rating in September 2024—placing the company among the top 1% globally for environmental, social, and ethical performance. Yet above all professional achievements, Richard remained most devoted to the well-being of his employees and the vitality of his local community. Both companies remain privately held and family-owned.

Richard gave generously of his time, leadership, and resources to organizations that reflected his values. He served as a Trustee for St. George’s School in Newport, RI, for 25 years, was Chairman of the Board from 1985 to 1989, and continued to support the school as an Honorary Trustee thereafter. He joined the Board of Trustees of the Nantucket Conservation Foundation in 1994 and served for 20 years, including as President of the Board from 1998 to 2008. In 2014, he was honored as Trustee Emeritus for his leadership in preserving the island’s natural environment. He was a Trustee of Monadnock Community Hospital from 1993 to 2000, serving as Vice President for two years in the late '90s. He also served as a Trustee of the Crotched Mountain Foundation from 1974 until his passing and was on its Executive Committee from 1974 to 1987, supporting programs for individuals with disabilities. Richard was a long-serving member of the Board of Directors of the Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire (1991–2025), serving on its Executive Committee from 1998 to 2004. In recognition of his lifelong commitment to service and leadership, the University of New Hampshire awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2009. He also held numerous leadership roles within the paper and forest products industry, including multiple chair positions over two decades with the American Forest & Paper Association, where he served on the Board of Directors from 1991 to 1998.

Richard loved spending time by the sea, having grown up spending summers on Nantucket and, more recently, extended visits with family on Little Gasparilla Island in southwestern Florida. He was an avid fresh and saltwater fisherman. One of his favorite salmon rivers was the Grand Cascapedia in Quebec. He was a lifelong member of the Nantucket Yacht Club and his beloved Wharf Rat Club. His was a life well-lived—one of enormous accomplishment and generosity. His family will always cherish the happy times they spent together, and his unwavering support, kind heart, and sense of humor will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Richard was predeceased by his parents, Gilbert and Virginia Verney, and his sister, Valerie Dill Verney.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Dorothy; his four children: Virginia Lucarelli of Telluride, CO; Liz Verney of Lyme, NH; Heather Wyman of Appleton, ME; and Eric Verney of Nantucket, MA; and eight cherished grandchildren: Thea and Caroline Lucarelli, Hannah and Addie Smith, Claire and Lucas Wyman, and Jimmie and William Verney. He is also survived by his sister, Lumina Greenway of Andover, MA, and his brother, Geoffrey Verney of Nantucket, MA.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, September 18, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Jellison Funeral Home, 25 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 1:00 PM at All Saints Church, 51 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH. A celebration of Richard’s life will immediately follow at the Monadnock Country Club, 49 High Street, Peterborough, NH.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Richard’s name to the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, St. George’s School in Newport, RI, or the Monadnock Community Hospital—fitting tributes to a man whose life was devoted to leadership, conservation, education, and community.