Roll of Honor
Richard E. Varney
Incident
Game Warden Pilot Richard Varney drowned after his helicopter crashed into Maranacook Lake. He had just taken off from the lake base when the helicopter experienced a malfunction and crashed. He was able to exit the wreckage but drowned before rescuers could make it to his location. Game Warden Varney was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife - Warden Service for 16 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters, parents, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-ME-7779818E- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Richard is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Game Warden Pilot Varney gave the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Augusta community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Richard E. Varney served in the U.S. Air Force (1950â1954) before joining law enforcement.
Game Warden Pilot Richard E. Varney is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In ME, 41 of 102 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 40.2% of this state's fallen. That is 40.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, 9 of 17 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 52.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Richard E. Varney's cause is highlighted.
How Richard E. Varney Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Richard E. Varney is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Military Service
Richard E. Varney served in the U.S. Air Force (1950–1954) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Richard E. Varney’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
16 officers from Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife are honored on badge.nw.
