Dick passed away peacefully at 91 years old on March 1, 2026. He was born in Bronx, NY, on October 22, 1934. He grew up in Lake George, NY, the son of Harry Horn, a NYPD police officer, and Erna Schuman Horn.
Dick graduated from Lake George High School in 1954, attended college at the University of Miami, served active duty in the Army Reserve, and graduated from Hartwick College in New York with a degree in Physics in 1961. During his high school and college years he worked doing commercial resort advertising photography for the Adirondak Resorts Press and Lake George Mirror publications.
Upon graduation from college, he worked for Pan American Airways as a Systems Engineer in optical missile tracking at Cape Canaveral. It was there that he met his future wife Mary. In 1966 they moved to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where he worked for General Electric in Polaris missile launch equipment reliability analyses.
In 1970, he moved to Mary's home state of West Virginia for a business venture with his brother-in-law and later accepted employment with the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources in the newly formed Coal Refuse and Dam Control Section. This group was formed as a result of the 1972 Buffalo Creek dam failure disaster that killed 118 people.
He retired after 33 years of service with the West Virginia Dam Safety Office. He was a Registered Professional Civil Engineer specializing in dam design, construction, and analysis for approval of dams in West Virginia.
Dick was an accomplished piano and organ musician and could play just about any instrument he picked up, and play it well. He also enjoyed woodworking, building things, model airplanes, and most of all spending time with his family. He was a beekeeper for ten years and provided fresh honey to his neighbors.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife of 45 years, Mary Elizabeth (Higgins) Horn, a sister Virginia Horn, and brothers Robert M. Horn and Harry C. Horn.
He is survived by his daughters Linda Horn, Elizabeth (Michael) Lilly, and grandchildren Andrew and Audrey Lilly.
A Celebration of Life Service for Dick will be held on March 19th at 11:00am at Melton Mortuary and Cremation Center in Beckley, WV, followed by interment at Sunset Memorial Park.
Expressions of sympathy and condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.meltonmortuary.com