Peabody - Captain Richard Manuel Bettencourt Sr (Ret.), 79, a lifelong resident of Peabody and retired Peabody Police Captain, passed away on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at the Jeffrey & Susan Brudnick Center for Living in Peabody surrounded by his loving family. He was the beloved husband of Lorraine F. (Norcott) Bettencourt with whom he shared 53 loving years of marriage.

He was born in Salem on September 12, 1946 and was the cherished son of the late Manuel and Ellen (Lear) Bettencourt.

Captain Bettencourt dedicated more than three and a half decades of his life to public service with the Peabody Police Department, building a career defined by commitment, leadership, and courage. Prior to his career in law enforcement, he proudly served his country in the United States Army from 1967 to 1969. He began his journey with the Peabody Police Department as a patrolman on January 19, 1975, and through hard work and unwavering dedication, steadily rose through the ranks—promoted to Sergeant in 1986, Lieutenant in 1991, and ultimately Captain in 2001.

Throughout his distinguished career, Captain Bettencourt earned the deep respect of his fellow officers and the community he proudly served. A pioneer in community policing, he became the City of Peabody's first School Resource Officer, reflecting his enduring commitment to mentorship and to protecting and guiding the next generation. Among those he led, he was referred to as a "Cops cop", a rare honor among ranking officers.

Beyond his badge, he was a man who truly embraced life. An avid outdoorsman, he found peace and joy in nature. He gave back to his community as a football and baseball coach, always taking pride in mentoring young athletes. He also spent many years bowling and loved the game of golf. While he appreciated the game, it didn't always appreciate him back—he was known to occasionally send a club flying, never met a tee box he couldn't "work over," and wasn't above giving a bowling ball return a firm reminder of who was in charge. He approached it all with the same intensity and passion he brought to everything in life, which made him as memorable as he was loved.

Above all else, his greatest devotion was to his family. He was a loving and devoted husband with his beloved wife, Lorraine who he affectionately referred to as pumpkin—a partnership built on love, strength, and unwavering support. He was a proud father to his two sons, Rick and Tim, and held close the bonds he shared with his daughters-in-law, Jenn and Dahsa. Nothing brought him greater joy than being "Beeps" to his three grandchildren, Kailey, Olive, and Bram, who were a constant source of pride and happiness.

To his family, he was a steady presence, a source of strength, guidance, and pride. Though his career was a calling he fulfilled with honor, the role he cherished most was the one he held at home.

Captain Bettencourt's legacy lives on not only in his years of service but in his service to his country, the lives he touched, the values he instilled, and the love he gave so freely. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered. In addition to his wife, Lorraine, Richard is survived by his two sons, Richard M. Bettencourt Jr and his wife Jennifer of Danvers and Timothy J. Bettencourt and his wife Dahsa Castellano of Stowe, VT; his three grandchildren, Kailey, Olive and Bram; his sister, Patricia Thompson and her husband John of NH; his nephews, Scott Thompson and his wife Lori of Lynn, MA and Robert Thompson of NH; his sisters-in-law, Donna Zellen and her husband Michael of Peabody and Barbara Kendrick and her husband George of Brockton; and many loving additional nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Family and friends are cordially invited to attend visiting hours at Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody on Sunday, May 3, 2026 from 2 to 5 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. Monday morning before leaving in procession to St. Ann's Church in Peabody for a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Peabody. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Richard's memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by visiting www.stjude.org or to the Alzheimer's Association by visiting www.alz.org. For guestbook and directions please visit www.ccbfuneral.com.