Franklin Richard Bringhurst

Franklin Richard Bringhurst, age 78, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 28, 2026, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Somers Point, New Jersey on April 30, 1948, he was the son of the late Charles and Eleanor (Pierce) Bringhurst.

Rick was raised in Ocean City, New Jersey, where, as a young boy, he found his love for music, learning to play trombone from his father. Following his graduation from Ocean City High School in 1966, Rick was accepted into Princeton University, beginning his undergraduate studies. Rick was able to showcase his musical talents, joining the ranks of the big band, Prospective Sound, where he loved to perform with his trombone and even help produce an album. In addition to performing on stage, Rick also performed on the squash court, fine tuning his skills and making plenty of friends along the way. He graduated from Princeton in 1970, where he was named valedictorian of his class. After graduation, Rick traveled to Quincy, Massachusetts, embarking on his medical school journey at Harvard University in Boston, where he graduated second in his class and earned a position at Massachusetts General Hospital.

While working at Mass General, Rick caught the attention of a nurse, Sandra Lindsay Boyd, and even though she was a bit reserved at the thought of dating a doctor, the couple quickly fell in love. Rick and Lindsay were married on September 26, 1981, at United Church in Walpole. Together they initially made a home in Norfolk before settling in Walpole in 1989 to raise three sons.

After coming to the hospital as a medical resident in 1974, Rick joined the medical staff as an Endocrinologist. He maintained an active research program within the Department of Medicine’s Endocrine Unit, focused on parathyroid hormone action in bone. Rick's career with Mass General flourished over the years, including Chief of Staff of the Department of Medicine, Associate Director of Research and Vice Chair of the MGH Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) for Research Space Management. Ultimately, Rick was named one of the Senior Vice Presidents at Mass General, overseeing four areas: medicine, research, space management, and conflicts of interest in industry.

Rick’s career at MGH offered him the opportunity to both teach and give back to those less fortunate. His teaching career led him to both Harvard Medical School and the New England School of Optometry, where he taught the next generations of medical professionals. In the early 1990s, he began traveling to South Africa, offering medical lessons to that country’s optometrists. He retired on December 31, 2020, after 46 years of dedication to Massachusetts General Hospital, its patients, and the larger field of Medicine.

Beyond his career, Rick was very active in his faith. He was a beloved member of United Church in Walpole, where he served as a member of the choir, a soloist, and on occasion performed with his trombone. He also traveled with the United Church choir to competitions throughout Europe.

Throughout his life, Rick remained a busy man but looked forward to relaxing with some hobbies when he could. He was an avid golfer, hitting the links with family and friends, tightening up his game and enjoying the fresh air. He enjoyed cross country and downhill skiing. As an avid collector of Lionel Model Trains, Rick built a functioning O Gauge track in his basement, providing hours of entertainment for himself and his sons. Rick also enjoyed time with his family including hours of board games and video games. In the nice weather, Rick could be found in his backyard with his boys, throwing a football or baseball around and enjoying time together. Rick was a fan of all Boston sports, but particularly enjoyed the Red Sox and attending New England Patriots games as a season ticket holder since 1976. Rick enjoyed traveling the world with family and friends, eventually visiting 6 of the 7 continents, including trips to places such as: Australia, Austria, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, England, and Scotland.

Beloved husband of S. Lindsay (Boyd) Bringhurst.

Loving father of Ryan C. Bringhurst of Walpole, Troy L. Bringhurst of Cambridge, and the late Jeffrey R.L. Bringhurst.

Devoted brother of Carol Oaks and her late husband, Robert, of Marmora, New Jersey.

Cherished uncle of Bobby McAllister and his wife, Erin, Kim Pettit and her husband, Bob, and Erick McAllister and his wife, Adriana; and great uncle of Kiley, Sean, Jack, Izzy, Charlie, & Cole.

Brother-in-law of Dave Boyd and his wife, Nancy, of Huntersville, North Carolina, and Bethanne Enggren and her late husband, David, of Attleboro.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Rick's visitation on Friday, September 11th, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole.

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, September 12th, 2026, at 10:00 am in the United Church in Walpole, 30 Common Street, Walpole. Interment will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery in Walpole. Following the service, a collation with food & drink will be held at Beacons Restaurant, 85 Providence Highway, East Walpole from 11am-3pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Rick's name may be made to either the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, P.O. Box 5014 Hagerstown, MD 21741 (https://www.michaeljfox.org/) OR Jewish Family and Children's Service for Tremble Clefs (a Parkinsons choir) 140 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02451(https://www.jfcsboston.org/give/ways-to-give)