Richard Humann, former Hicksville water commissioner and longtime mail carrier, dies at 81

Richard Humann was your typical blue-collar, hardworking, dedicated person, according to his family. But his love for the community and those he shared it with made him stand out from the crowd.

"Dad was a very humble, deeply giving person. He was always of the mindset that if you want to build something and put in the work, it will be better than you expected," said Humann's son, Richard Humann, of Nesconset. "It was never about him; it was always about the team or the group."

The Hicksville resident died of cancer on June 7 at age 81.

Richard Humann was born on Oct. 6, 1944, in Ozone Park, Queens. His family later relocated to Hicksville, where Humann would graduate from Hicksville High School in 1962. In 1963, he began a 37-year career in the postal system as a mail carrier for the Atlantic Beach post office and Jericho post office, from where he would retire in 2000.

"My father took great pride in his job as a letter carrier, and he was loved by all on his route," his daughter Lisa Humann-Bulkley, of Milford, Pennsylvania, said in her eulogy. "He never passed up an opportunity to chat it up about weather, sports, family, you name it, he could talk about it."

Humann married his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth Weldon, in November 1964. The couple resided in Hicksville, where they raised four children:  Gina Humann, of Hicksville; Lori Humann-Schiliro, of Hicksville; Lisa and Richard.

According to Humann's family, he would do anything he could to support his community and had "such a sense of pride" for Hicksville. In January 1965, Humann became a Company 4 volunteer firefighter for the Hicksville Fire Department, a position he would hold for 60 years.

"Dad loved the camaraderie — he was captain of the softball team, he was on the drill team, and my mother was in the ladies auxiliary," his son said. "My three sisters and I pretty much lived at the firehouse. We learned a lot about community and putting others first as children because that's all we saw from him."

According to his son, Humann was very proud of where he came from.

"He didn't need a lot, he was simply principled," his son said.

"He loved everything about Hicksville, that's why he was a letter carrier, fireman and water commissioner," added Humann-Schiliro. "He got to talk to everyone, which was his best quality. He made people feel good."

Elected to water board

In 1984, Humann was elected to the Hicksville Board of Water Commissioners, on which he would serve for 23 years.

"He wasn't a water expert, but he was a community expert," his son said. "He was open-minded to understand that even though he was a decision-maker, he would listen to his experts about the quality of water."

Hicksville Water District chairman William Schuckmann was there throughout Humann's tenure, and considered working alongside him "an honor."

"Having worked in the district since the 1970s, I have seen many commissioners come and go, and I can safely say that Rich was one of the most dedicated and passionate of them all," Schuckmann said. "The Hicksville community has lost one of its great members, and we at the district will miss him dearly."

Humann was an avid Jets, Mets, Islanders and Knicks fan. He also was a school  bus driver  for 17 years. He was an active member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Stephen in Hicksville. But above all, he treasured time with his family.

"His kids and grandkids were his life," his son said. "I think he took the most pride in being a grandparent. You couldn’t keep him away from every game, recital, graduation or concert for any of his grandchildren."

"Growing up, he coached us in soccer, but whenever he went to watch any of his grandchildren's soccer games, he was the loudest there," Humann-Schiliro said. "Daddy was kind, giving and helpful. If you needed anything, he'd drop whatever he was doing and help."

In addition to his children, Humann is survived by his wife, seven grandchildren, and several nephews and nieces. A funeral Mass was celebrated on June 17 at St. Stephen’s in Hicksville, followed by interment at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale.