Sarah Kathryn Richardson

Sarah faced life’s issues by just going on with life, not letting them knock her down. She was a bit of a prankster and loved a good joke, but could be a force when it was required, and was not one to bite her tongue. In the last few years, one of her hobbies was giving telemarketers a hard time on the phone. Her early hobbies consisted of crafts, and some of her detailed embroideries were almost pieces of art. She was also a genealogy buff, long before the days of the internet when it required long visits to local libraries.

She was born Sarah Kathryn Taylor, September 29, 1940, in Tahoka, Texas, to Robert L. and Willa Mae Earwood Taylor, a West Texas dirt farmer and housewife. In the early 1940s they moved to Los Angeles, California where factory jobs were plentiful. In 1943, at three years old, Sarah contracted polio that affected her right leg and foot. Faced with the only known treatments of the era, she persevered. Over the years they would move back to Texas where she would take a train to Dallas for treatments well into her teens. They eventually moved back to California where she went to high school and eventually met her future husband, E.C. “Al” Richardson, and they started their family. In 1971, they moved to Greenville, Mississippi where she remained until the early 1990s. She was a nurse’s aide until her early fifties when she was no longer able to work. She later spent approximately fifteen years before returning to Greenville, where she stayed until moving to Memphis in 2015, due to complications of post-polio syndrome. Even after losing most of her vision, she was able to live independently until additional care was needed.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Edward Taylor of Idalou, TX. Sarah is survived by her daughters, Kathryn “Kathy” (Randy) Kallenbach of Connell, WA, Janet (Scott) Steele of Greenville, MS, Sandra “Sandy” (Mike) Kelly of Memphis, TN, and her son, John (Cindy) Richardson of Marion, NC. Also, George Stewart (Tammy) of Greenville, MS, who was as close as a son. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Jamie Richardson of Reading PA, Thomas Cooksey of Kennewick, WA, Teresa Haroldson (Steve) of Richland, WA, Joe Kallenbach (Stephanie) of Middletown, IN, Rob Thornton (Regina) of Oklahoma City, OK, Allison Wright (Trey) of Greenville, MS, Micheal Kelly (Shawnna) of Cedar Grove, TN, Jon Kelly (Kelsey) of McAlester, OK, Ben Kelly (Felicia) of Cordova, TN, and Chelsea Sutton (Mark) of Raleigh, NC. She is also survived by 18 great-grandchildren and a nephew Bryan (Sharon) Taylor.

The family would like to thank the residents at Northlake Apts., the caregivers at Resource One, and the staff at Kings Daughters and Sons Home.