Rev. Lawrence Oscar Richards, PhD.

Lawrence O. Richards (1931-2016) was the most prominent and prolific Christian education writer in evangelical circles during the last half of the Twentieth Century”, according to a biographical article on the Talbot Theological Seminary website. A graduate of University of Michigan, BA; Dallas Theological Seminary, ThM; and a dual program at Garrett Theological Seminary and Northwestern University, PhD, Larry authored over 200 books, years of Sunday school curriculum—preschool through adult, and pioneered methodologies in Christian education and church leadership. He wrote commentaries on every book in the Bible, a Bible Dictionary, Bible handbook, an expository dictionary which provides both Greek and Hebrew word studies on most key words in both the Old and New Testaments, wrote a number of specialty Bibles including best sellers The Adventure Bible, (NIV & NIRV) and The Teen Study Bible, (NIV & NKJV) which he did with his wife, Sue. His books are published in over 30 languages.

He was a brilliant teacher, speaker and preacher. He was a humble and good man who loved God, his wife, children, and dogs. He was preceded in death by his son Paul Richards, and survived by his wife Sue, son Timothy, two daughters Joy and Sarah and grandchildren Matthew and Meghan. He is missed deeply by all who knew him and many who only knew him through his writing.

His memorial service will be Nov. 12 at 3, at North Raleigh United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Wounded Warrior Project. Larry spent 4 years in the Navy during the Korean War and continued to have a heart for our veterans. Since Veterans Day is Nov. 11, it is a perfect time to remember our vets.

Arrangements by Mitchell Funeral Home, Raleigh, North Carolina