Deceased February 14, 2015
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50th Reunion Book Entry
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In Memory
Dick Cutting, who combined business skills both in a successful accounting career and as a way to give back to his hometown, died Feb. 14 at the Canterbury Woods retirement community outside Buffalo, N.Y.
Dick lived most of his life in Buffalo’s historic core area called the Delaware district. He was one of seven members of the class of 1953 who came to the college from the Nichols School in Buffalo, possibly some sort of record for one preparatory school. At Amherst, Dick was a member of Phi Delta Theta, took part in crew and squash and served as treasurer of the Student newspaper.
We remember Dick as a steady and loyal friend, a person of great disposition and humor. He was incredibly strong in the face of the persistent cancer that gradually took his life.
Dick served as a lieutenant, junior grade, in the Navy from 1953 to 1956. His next stop was the Columbia University School of Business, where he earned an M.B.A. in 1957. He stayed in New York City for the next 15 years, holding a variety of responsible accounting, auditing and computer-service positions.
Dick then returned home to serve as managing partner of the Buffalo office of the Arthur Young accounting firm until retirement in 1989. Buffalo city government was one of many Arthur Young accounts.
In our 50th reunion book, Dick listed “to give back to the community” as a retirement goal, and he lived up to it. He served as treasurer of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York and the Buffalo-Niagara YMCA. He was chairman of the Episcopal Church Home Foundation. Many other organizations benefitted from his expertise.
Dick enjoyed golf, tennis and fishing. And life.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, the former Elaine Duff.
Phil Ransom ’53
George Gates ’53
