After a long and happy life, Betty Richardson, age 95, formerly of Richmond, died peacefully on Monday, December 10, in San Antonio, Texas.
Betty was the daughter of Ephraim and Martha Howells, born in Bridgend, South Wales, on March 19, 1923. She met her husband Bob, a Wayne County native, while he was serving in the U.S. Army in World War II. They were married in Bridgend in 1944 and moved to Richmond after the War. Although she never lost her love for Wales, Richmond truly became her home. She took her citizenship classes at Richmond High School and was very proud to have become an American citizen. She and Bob raised a family and lived in Richmond until shortly after Bob died in 2006. From then until her death, she lived near or with family in North Carolina and Texas.
Bob was a lineman for Richmond Power & Light, and Betty's vegetable soup and coffee were a staple for the crews working through storms in Richmond for many years. She was a long time employee of Insurance Company of North America in Richmond until she retired. Following retirement, she became active in the Richmond Senior Center and the Richmond Senior Steppers dance group. She was an active member of Earlham Heights Presbyterian Church until it merged with First Presbyterian Church in Richmond, and she remained a member there. Betty and Bob were devoted fans of the Richmond Red Devils and continued to hold season tickets for football and basketball long after both their children had graduated from high school. Family was important to Betty, and she and Bob made it a point to attend as many of their grandchildren's activities as they could despite the distance between Richmond and Virginia, Kansas and Texas.
Betty is survived by her children Pat Cole of San Antonio, Texas, her son Bob Richardson of Pittsboro, North Carolina, four grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, her brothers Glyn Howells and Chris Howells and sister Jackie Symons in Wales, and multiple nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on December 29, 2018 in the Earlham Cemetery Mausoleum Chapel. Rev. Dr. Lauren Anderson, Betty's granddaughter, will officiate. Entombment will follow in the Earlham Mausoleum. The family will receive friends following the service. Memorial contributions may be made to the Richmond Senior Center, 1600 South 2nd Street, Richmond, Indiana 47374.