Richard Norling

Captain Rick

Richard Walter Norling died March 29, 2018, at his home in the Florida Keys. Rick was born in Quincy, Massachusetts on May 14, 1957 and raised in Abington, Massachusetts. He moved to the Florida Keys after the blizzard of 1978 and enjoyed the beauty and warmth of this special place for the past 40 years. He was an accomplished maritime professional and worked as a captain and operations manager for Coral Reef Park Company at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park for 40 years. He is survived by his wife Deanna Norling, children Bethany and Ethan Norling, parents Wayne and Elizabeth Norling, brother Wayne Norling (Diane), sister Patricia Stagliola (Michael), brother Kenneth Norling, nieces Sara Plymale (Jonathan), Samantha Martorano (David) and Laura Stagliola, nephews Wayne Norling and Matthew Stagliola, great-nephews David and Lorenzo Martorano, Jackson Plymale, great-niece Evelyn Martorano, and friends too numerous to count. Rick loved to golf and he loved to hike, accomplishing all 2200 miles of the Appalachian Trail on his own when he was 18 years old. He loved to cook, loved to catch big fish and tell even bigger fish stories. And more than anything he loved to laugh with the people he loved. Rick is a legend, and he will be greatly remembered and even more greatly missed. A memorial will be held in his honor on Monday April 9, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. at 103688 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, Florida. All are welcome to attend.