Name: Harry J Will Funeral Homes
Address: Redford, MI

So odd I should find out about Mr Richardson's passing today. I was thinking what a nice guy he was and how much he taught me about reading music. He also introduced me to my private flute teacher who also helped me and aided me in gaining four medals from Solo ensemble. To this day I play my flute and it helps me escape. He was a great man. Patient, thoughtful, and talented. I don't remember all the teachers I had at Thurston but I remember him. 

It is difficult to express the immense impact Mr. Richardson had in my life.  He was the inspiration for so much of what I have accomplished as a musician and public school educator.  From my days at Pierce Jr. High in the early 70's, through Thurston, colleges, the beginnings of my career as a band director, administration and the years that followed, Mr. Richardson always provided the encouragement and support essential for me to be the best I could be.   He is the reason I became an educator.  To sum up his impact on my life, I have asked countless teachers, school administrators, and graduate students over the past few decades to think of the best teacher they ever had and share their reasons for choosing this teacher.  The goal of the exercise is to have educators think about the impact or legacy they wish to leave with their students.  I always share my choice, that being Mr. Richardson, and use descriptors such as encouraging, supportive, funny, nice, demanding without being degrading, spectacular musician, and confidence builder, the trait which influenced me the most.  After all these years, Mr. Richardson continues to influence me professionally and my personal relationship with him will always be cherished.  My deepest sympathy to his family, but know our world is a much better place because Mr. Richardson chose to be a teacher.       

I am saddened to hear of Mr. Richardson's passing.  From fourth grade tonette lessons ( a word I couldn't even find in the dictionary to get the proper spelling), to the baritone which he had enough confidence in me to take up at Jane Addams Elementary in Redford, I will always be grateful for his musical passion.  He encouraged me to excel and my appreciation of good music was largely due to his teachings.  I continued to play at Marshall Jr. High and Thurston  High School until my graduation.  
My condolences to his large family and friends.  He was a truly great man who made a major impact in my life.

Papa Jer is my great grandpa. We were very close to him growing up thanks to all of our family gamenights at his house. We did it every month usually in his basement usually knowing that we have to clean up and leave when he starts making his coffee😂 recently I went over to his house to go through some of his things. I found so many wonderful notes that he saved from his time with my grandma. He was a very sentimental guy and he was deeply in love with my grandma. I also found all of the coloring pages that my cousins and I did at his house when we were little. He saved all of them and even wrote little thank you’s on them♥️ To me, Papa Jer will always be an example of pure love, He was a very loving father to my nana and great aunt. Obvoliously I’ve always known my grandpa was an amazing man, I’ve always been very proud of him and bragged about him to my friends. However one of the best lessons I’ve learned from him was after he passed and I was going through his stuff. It’s that eternal love exists and nobody should settle for less. My grandpa married my grandma when my nana was younger and has since been nothing but essential in our family. I will miss him endlessly but I’m so happy for him that he is finally with my Grandma after all of these years♥️ I’m so grateful for all of the time we had to get to know Papa Jer, it’s not so common a family has a grandparent around for long enough to see their great grandkids grow into adults and even meet one of his great great grandchildren. RIP Papa Jer, You are so very loved♥️

My grandpa is one of the most amazing people I have ever known and one of a kind. It's no wonder he was the perfect match to our late grandma (Juliet).
To me, as a kid, he was the life of the party. Always up to some silly antics or making up a wild story that would have us kids intrigued. I'm not sure how long I kept my eyes open for a black spider with a red cross on its back. 
Later as an adult, his stories turned into fascinating. Including stories about his family, about life and Detroit back in the day. It was like taking a walk back in time. We also came to discover that he was a brilliant jazz musician that played at major events and even played with greats like Liza Minnelli, Elvis and and many others. 
He was always just grandpa to us....down to earth, a regular guy in a regular house with a regular family. He was generous, loving, kind, smart and so funny! To know him was to love him.  He lived life to the fullest until he couldn't anymore. I'm so grateful that I had the pleasure of being able to spend time with him towards the end of his time with us. Those were moments I will always cherish. He reached for and held my hand, he even mustered up the strength to reach up to rest his hand on my shoulder for a few minutes as I sat on the bed next to him. He will be forever remembered and forever missed, but now, he is finally back with his favorite girl, the beautiful Juliet. ❤️ 

I am Janet Campbell, born in 1953. Mr. Richardson was the band teacher at Pierce, but I remember him as my orchestra teacher at Mason. I remember him as a kind and gentle man. So very nice and patient with all of us.  When I decided to play violin in 5th grade, he told me I had a “cello hand”, which prompted me to take cello!  I have often thought that maybe he just needed a cello player and had enough violinists, but he made me feel special. So sorry for your loss. My condolences to his family.

Such a wonderfully talented man. A great teacher. He pushed his students to excel in music and made them the best groups possible. I had Mr Rich for band from 1970 to 1973 at Pierce. He will be in my memories forever.
Deepest sympathies on your families loss. He certainly touched a lot of lives.

Mr. Richardson (Fondly, Mr. "Rich") was a wonderful man that truly loved teaching. He was my band teacher from 1979 until 1982 at Pierce Junior High School in Redford, Michigan. I was so proud when he included me in the Concert Band when I was in the 7th grade to attend the MSBOA District Festival. I loved my French Horn and all of the music that we performed. Many wonderful memories. You will be missed sir.
Kimberly Olds Stephens 
Graduate of Thurston High School 1985

Mr. Richardson was the first person to truly fuel my passion for music.  I had never felt such compassion for music until I met him.  He paved the way for me - first chair clarinet 1985 - and to this day I love classical music and have the passion he shared with us.

Mr. Richardson was such a kind man! He shared his love for music with all of us and his passion made an impact on me and many others! Thank you for that! RIP

What a great band teacher Mr. Richardson was! We had a great class and always scored high at Festivals thanks to him! He was a kind  soul and always willing to take the time to help you if you needed it. 
Much love and prayers to his family!
He was one of the good ones!

THS Class of 1987

Michele Sant Angelo

Mr. Richardson was certainly a positive influence since my first time in band class at Mason elementary. I’ll never forget when he talked to us about learning how to play the Tonet in order to see if we may take up an instrument. He finished his presentation telling us if we practiced enough we may be able to play like this. He then played Dixieland on that plastic Tonet! Ever since that day I was hooked! 
He was a caring and positive mentor! I’m sure he is playing Dixieland on his trombone with a band of angels!

Mr. Richardson was my band director at Pierce. More importantly, he played in the combo my Uncle Gordon Mathie (trumpet) put together for my wedding reception in 1972. 
He was a remarkable man. 

Mr. Rich was a class act, the most inspiring teacher I ever had.  I never practiced more than my two years under him at Pierce.  He captivated all of us with his love of music and challenged us to push our potential each day.  It was great when he played his trombone along with us, often ending with a slick jazz riff.  We all achieved great heights with him.  Getting out of class to go hang in the band room listening to his reel to reel tapes of great musicians was a treat.  We became Band Geeks and liked it!
Fast forward 40 years or so, I ran into Mr. Rich at the Comerica Bank...he remembered me, asked if I still had my clarinet and reminded me to keep playing those long tones!  RIP Mr. Rich

Jerry so very much cared for Juliet’s family! All of the Goveia clan!. He is survived by Bernice (Tony), Rosita (Leonard), Orlando (Pat), preceded in death by Alfred, Claud, Alvaro, Joseph, and Jerome.
Visits were highlights with them, and Facebook posts from them and the dozens of our cousins from around the world were of the greatest joy! 
I noticed that every time we lost another family member a little air went out of his usual buoyant, positive mindset. He adored his Goveia family members, with no doubt.  Out of sight , but never out of mind!

Mr. Richardson touched so many of our lives, he too was my band director at Pierce Jr. High.....such a passion for music and teaching us.  I remember we scored all 1's at the state band festival which wouldn't have happened without his instruction.  He even had a company come in and we the band recorded an album of which I still have today.  Rest in peace.

I am so sorry for your loss. Mr. Richardson was my band instructor at Pierce and was always encouraging and kind. He was one of my favorite teachers. I'm proud to have known him. 

Mr. Richardson was my band director at Pierce Jr. High.  He was such a kind man and a great teacher. Many great memories!

OBITUARIO

Gerald Wayne Richardson

21 agosto, 1928 – 16 noviembre, 2021

Harry J Will Funeral Homes

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