Richard Noel "Dick" Aarons

Richard N. “Dick” Aarons flew west on December 11, 2025. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 16, 1942, to Raymond and Marcella Aarons, Dick was a longtime resident of Ridgefield, Connecticut, where he lived for more than 50 years.

Dick began his career as a police reporter with the Camden Courier-Post and the Philadelphia Daily News before joining Business & Commercial Aviation magazine in 1968 as a staff editor. There, he combined his journalistic skill with his lifelong passion for aviation. Over the next five decades, he became a leading voice in the aviation industry, authoring hundreds of articles and several well-known columns, including Hardware/Software and Cause & Circumstance. His influential piece, Always Leave Yourself an Out, written in the early 1970s, remains essential reading for professional pilots to this day.

Beginning in the 1980s, Dick extended his dedication to public safety beyond aviation, volunteering as a town constable, fire police officer, and emergency services photographer for the Ridgefield and Redding police departments. In addition to his key volunteer roles, Dick also shared his extensive knowledge through teaching, serving as an operations instructor for the Coast Guard Auxiliary and communications instructor for the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. His commitment to his community led him to work with Ridgefield’s emergency preparedness team, where he ultimately was appointed the town’s Emergency Manager.

Dick was an avid reader and a lifelong learner. His interests ranged from mystery and true crime to history and philosophy. He became a student of the Jewish faith and in 2025 converted to Judaism, fulfilling a longtime dream.

Dick is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Deirdre S. Aarons; his son, Michael; his daughter, Noelle (Ernie McNeill); his grandsons, Andrew (Kristen) Cass and Kevin Cass; and his sisters, Betsey (Tom) Neary and Suzy Anderson, and their families.

Family and friends will be received on Wednesday, December 17, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Kane Funeral Home; 25 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. Reflections and tributes of Dick will be offered at 1:30 PM. Interment will take place privately.

Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to a charity of one's choice.