Richard William Britt, formerly of Baltimore and Palm Beach, died Thursday, July 10, 2008, at his home in Sotogrande, Spain of complications from his 15-month battle with cancer. He was 75.

Mr. Britt was born April 28, 1933 in Long Beach, Calif., the son of Lt. Cmdr. Jacob William Britt and Louise Zimmerman Britt. The Britts were stationed in Shanghai, China, at the outset of World War II. Lt. Cmdr. Britt lost his life along with all the crew of the USS Asheville in 1942.

Mr. Britt and his mother moved to Baltimore, where he attended the Severn School and graduated from St. Paul's School in 1952. He played football, basketball and lacrosse in high school and at the University of Maryland for two years.

He had a career as an entrepreneur and raised his family in Baltimore until moving to Palm Beach in 1990. He moved to Sotogrande in 1996. In March, he was inducted into the St. Paul's School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Mr. Britt is survived by his wife, Donna Clark Britt; three children, Lindy Britt Coltharp, Jacob William Britt II and Laurence Thomas Britt; and two grandchildren, Connor Britt Coltharp and Louise Dove Coltharp.

Memorial gatherings are scheduled to be held in Sotogrande and Baltimore in October.