USAF Lt. Col. Marlin C. Richardson

He often reminded his nine brothers and sisters that they all grew up in the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta. Instinctively self-reliant, he began working when he was a child. He and his twin brother Merlin started playing basketball on a dirt court when they were in elementary school and parlayed that athleticism into a high school basketball championship.

After graduating from Catchings High School, he attended Mississippi College on a basketball-work scholarship for two years when an injury ended his sports career and his education.

He enlisted in the Air Force; and in 1953, he qualified for cadet training, graduating from flight school in 1954. In 1955 between assignments at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida, and Geiger Field in Spokane, Washington, he married NanEtte Day, with whom he spent the next 57 years of his life. Air Force assignments in jet fighter/interceptor squadrons took him to Texas; Nevada; New York; Florida; Washington State thrice; New Jersey; Arizona; Madrid, Spain; Soesterberg, the Netherlands; and Da Nang, Viet Nam.

While in Viet Nam, he flew162 missions, 100 of these over North Viet Nam. Jet aircraft that he flew included the T-33, F-86D, F-102, F-106, and F-4E. Commendations awarded were the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Air Medal (First through Eleventh Oak Leaf Clusters), and the Meritorious Service Medal. He relished military service, from enlistment to command positions.

After retirement from the Air Force in 1972, he and his family settled in Universal City, Texas, a suburb of San Antonio, where he was an avid golfer until his health prevented his playing. He was affiliated with Oshman's Sporting Goods and Bar-S Foods. In 1987, he and his wife opened NanEtte Richardson Fine Art in downtown San Antonio.

Marlin was a patriot and a defender of the Constitution, passionate about politics, and vocal with his opinions. He was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His life was characterized by a love of family, friends, nation, and freedom.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Carla R. Tiemann, brothers Robert, William Deloach, and Frank Richardson, and sister Marjorie Bates.

He will be sorely missed by his wife NanEtte, his sons Bert and wife Terri, Brud and wife Sherryl, Don and wife Jami, son-in-law Joe Tiemann, sisters-in-law Faith Richardson and Joan R. Singleton, and especially his grandchildren: Cory, Carly, Sheralyn, Shelby, Cooper, Kassidy, Colby, and Kyle Richardson; Karl and wife Yolanda Tiemann; Jessica Tiemann; great-grandson Riley Tharp; and his remaining siblings and their spouses: Kaye and Dean Burns, Lataine Durst, Shirley Egger, Merlin and Lanetia Richardson, and Ron and Deanna Richardson.

The family will receive friends from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Monday, July 9, 2012, at Porter Loring Mortuary North.

SERVICE

TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2012

11:00 A.M.

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

13201 FORUM ROAD, UNIVERSAL CITY, TEXAS 78148

Interment with Full Military Honors will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 8415 Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio, Texas 78229 or Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675.