Richard Anthony Ramos, 76, of Bristol, Rhode Island, died on April 25, 2021, after a long battle with multiple sclerosis. Dick, son of the late Anthony and Elinor Ramos, grew up with his three brothers on Griswold Avenue in Bristol and was an alumnus of the Portsmouth Abbey School, Tufts University, and Tufts Dental School.

Though opposed to the Vietnam War, he enlisted as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy in 1970 and served as a dentist on the USS Piedmont. After his service, Dick returned home to raise his family in the Bristol Highlands and joined his father in dental practice at Bristol Dental Associates. He was the trusted town dentist to many for decades.

Prior to his illness, Dick was an avid sailor, dedicated tennis player, and the best dancer at any party he attended. He was also a passionate New England sports fan, and was thrilled to have witnessed the Red Sox World Series wins, the Patriots football dynasty, and multiple Duke basketball national championships.

An early adopter of the personal computer, Dick was exceptionally tech savvy and never stopped learning new things. After his retirement, he took up the task of teaching himself Spanish and quickly became fluent.

Dick also adored and doted upon his many pets throughout the years, especially his treasured dachshund Mitzi, who liked to drink his beer and was the worst-behaved dog of all time.

Dick’s greatest loves were his three adoring children: Jill Ramos Josephson (David) of Barrington, Nina Ramos Rose (Richard) of Washington, D.C., and Jon Ramos (Hillary) of Warwick. They will remember and admire him for his quick wit, delightfully off-beat sense of humor, ingenious schemes, overly cautious driving lessons (“slow down, slow WAY down”), and that he managed to convince his family that it took the entirety of March Madness to “do the taxes” in his home office each year.

Dick’s four grandchildren — Jack Josephson, Jon Ramos, Natalie Rose, and Theodore Rose — lit up his life and provided much love and laughter in his later years. Dick also leaves behind his beloved and loyal brother William Ramos, as well as his dedicated companion, Maria Luz Foronda, both of Bristol.

We hope you remember Dick as your dentist, your neighbor, your sailing mate, your tennis buddy, and your friend. Raise a Miller Light in a frosted mug in his honor. He was the kindest soul imaginable and will be forever loved and missed. To quote his favorite song by The Rolling Stones: “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need.”

In lieu of flowers, do something nice for yourself, or consider a donation in Dick’s name to the Adopt-A-Lemur program at the Duke University Lemur Center, one of his favorite organizations.