On December 21, 2025, Richard "Dick" Duane Preston went home to be with his Lord and Savior. He was 85 years old. Born the son of Alvin N. Preston and Matilda Preston in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Dick moved to the Harundale area of Glen Burnie, Maryland, for his formative years where he would spend the next 75 years building a loving family.

Dick was a graduate of Glen Burnie High School where he played trombone with the school band, was a drum major for the marching band, and was a founding member of the dance band, a big band style ensemble performing weekly for the student body. After graduating with the Class of 1958, Dick started working at the Kennecott Copper Refinery where he started smelting metal and ended as a Payroll Specialist.

In addition to having an interest in music, Dick also had an interest in all things transportation, and had jobs in automotive sales, driving and training bus drivers, and in flight services at BWI. Dick collected antique cars and owned several prized cars such as his Ford Thunderbird and Crown Victoria. Dick also had an interest in trains, an interest that he acquired through living in Latrobe during his adolescent years, and enjoyed traveling to the Strasburg Rail Road Museum to share his vast knowledge, as well as collecting model trains for his expansive train gardens at home.

Dick enjoyed camping with his family and friends in his camping club. He made many memories with his family at Frontier Town and at Fort Wilderness in Disney World. Of all of the parts of Disney World that make it the most magical place on Earth, one of Dick's favorite parts was the Electrical Water Parade, where he made sure to watch with all six of his grandchildren every time they visited.

Surviving Dick is his devoted wife of 65 years, Elaine L. Preston (Hill) and two loving sons, Richard D. Preston Jr. and his wife Jean M. (McCloskey) and Robert A. Preston and his wife Patricia L. (Bowman), and six adored grandchildren, Samantha Schoening and husband Ryan, Alexander Preston, Meghan Reynolds and husband Justin, Andrew Preston, Emily Folkman and husband Tyler, Kaitlyn Preston, and great grandchild Sofia Preston. His brother Alvin Preston, Jr. and his wife Aki, and his sister Joyce Whay and daughter Randy Whay will also mourn his loss while Dick joins his other siblings Patricia Smith, Fred Preston, and Gertrude Freeman in and his beloved Basset Hound Polly, in eternity.