FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Richard Francis Minnehan of Fairfax, Va., passed away Sunday, July 18, at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va., after a brief battle with esophageal cancer.

Born in Lewiston, Sept. 8, 1943, to Jerome Francis and Laura M. Poland Minnehan, he graduated from Lewiston High School in 1961.

He entered the United States Air Force in 1961, and served until 1966. He then returned to school, where he earned an associate degree from Bliss College in 1968. He then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Thomas College in 1970.

He was employed as the senior cost accountant at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., at the time of his death. Previous employment included positions in Maine, Connecticut, California and Virginia.

He was a communicant of St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in Fairfax, Va., where he was an active member of the Father Diamond Council of the Knights of Columbus.

Survivors include two sisters, Mary E. and husband, George Z. Saltis, of Lewiston, and their children, Zoanne (Christopher) Paradis of New Gloucester, Carol (James) LaChapelle of Poland, Helen (Stephen) Spencer of Greene, Martha (James) Catevenis of Lewiston, Anthony Saltis of Durham, N.C., Kathleen Minnehan of Greene, and her children, Angus T. McGill of Philadelphia, Pa., and Molly F. McGill of Burlington, Vt.; his brother-in-law, Richard L’Italien of Lewiston, and his children, Catherine L’Italien of Litchfield, Lawrence L’Italien of San Francisco, Calif. and Daniel L’Italien of Chicago, Ill.; and several grandnieces, grandnephews and cousins.

He was predeceased by his parents; a brother, Patrick J, Minnehan; and a sister, Claire A. L’Italien.