James Duncan Richards Jr.

James (Jim) Duncan Richards Jr., educator and proud family patriarch, died in Lewiston with family at his side on December 3, 2025, at age 93. Born in Milo, Maine, in 1932 to parents, James Duncan Richards Sr. and Violet Richards (Mayo), Jim grew up in Greenville and began working in the logging industry with his father, Jim, and Uncle Jack at the age of 10 during World War II.

He married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Given, in Greenville in 1951 and together their married life began with Jim attending University of Maine at Orono and entering the U.S. Army in 1952. Together they were introduced to the world while Jim served as a U.S. Army infantry squad leader in Austria during the post-war occupation, returning home for Jim to finish his bachelor’s degree in 1954.

Jim began his career in education teaching on Long Island, NY. He earned his Master of Science/Education at University of Maine in 1961, returning to Long Island to teach and tutor until returning to his home state of Maine as head of the Mathematics Department of the then newly established Mount Abram High School in Salem. Drawn gradually home, Jim taught in Guilford and then returned to his hometown of Greenville in 1979 as Principal of Greenville High School. His GHS students fondly recall the fine arts program he nurtured, the musicals, and his bringing of wonderful events to the GHS stage, including the Bangor Symphony Orchestra and The Nutcracker. Jim loved Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas and hosted the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Maine annually at GHS for many years.

Jim (officially) retired in 1991 but then continued his positive influence of young people, instructing at Holy Cross School in Lewiston in his later years while wintering “down south” in Lewiston. Jim was most proud of his extended family.

He leaves behind his dear wife of 73 years, Ruth Rowe Richards (Given), his four children, James Richards III (Martine), Lori Richards, Judith Campbell (Jim), and Susan Wong (Peter), eighteen grandchildren and twenty-nine great-grandchildren (each of whom was his favorite), along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends in Maine, around the country, and around the world by Jim and Ruth’s support of countless young people and families through Unbound.

He was predeceased by his parents, James and Violet Richards, his brother, Jerome (Jerry), his sister, Nancy (Elsemore), and his brother-in-law, Robert Elsemore.

Jim took much joy from his family, maintaining close, caring relationships with all of them and taking great interest in their lives. He passed on to them his faith, his passion for learning, his deep love of the outdoors, his love of gardening and working with his hands, and his fierce work ethic. His beloved South Brook coursed through his entire life from jigging for trout at the age of 4 with his dad at the Depot Camp to fishing the stream in his later years with his own great-grandchildren. A man of strong character and boundless energy, he maintained his lifelong enjoyment of woods work by cutting and managing his own firewood right up until his death. If anyone was to ever drag a wood splitter or snow blower through the gates of Heaven, it would be Jim.

He was his family’s unwavering Catholic faith and love leader and will be sorely missed. A Christian burial service and Celebration of Life will be held in Greenville during the summer of 2026 with details to be announced. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the “Future Education Fund in Memory of James Duncan Richards Jr.” in care of Unbound at www.unbound.org (please designate the fund name when you fill in your details), or mail a check to Unbound, PO Box 219114, Kansas City, MO 64121-9114 with the fund name written on the memo line of your check. He’ll see ya later!