Von Winnie Richardson

She was the second child born to Lonnie and Gladys Richards of Waco, Texas. They named her Von Winnie Richards. Her parents, Lonnie & Gladys Richards, older brother Charles G. Richards, younger sister Diane Richards-Jackson who also had a twin brother, Don L. Richards who died at birth all preceded her in death. Her siblings were all 5 years apart. She was the center of her family, and her family was the center of her life. She became a Christian at the age of nine and surprised and startled her mother when she decided to join Toliver Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Waco, Texas and accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior that day.

Von Winnie Richards-Richardson graduated from A.J. Moore High School of Waco, Texas in 1959 and was a graduate of Huston-Tillotson University in 1963 and received her Texas Teacher Certificate dated May 20, 1963, in High School Sociology & English. She received a master’s in education degree from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico on May 28, 1972. She retired in 2005 as an Educator and Standardized Testing Supervisor with Harcourt Brace and Co. Her first marriage was to retired United States Air Force Colonel Wesley Brown with whom she had three remarkable children, Wesley Richard Brown (Sati), Von Renee Brown (Brian), and they adopted Brian Alan Brown while stationed in Guam. Together, she and Wes produced a Training Administrative Assistant, CEO & President, and a College Event Director. May the work that she’s done speak for her! She loved to spend time with and spoil her two grandsons, Christopher Wesley Dowe, and James Douglas Dowe along with her two great grandsons A’mont Raymond Dowe and Legend Christopher Dowe.

She later married retired United States Army Major Allie J. Richardson, III of San Antonio, Texas with whom she enjoyed a wonderful and fulfilling life. They relocated from Texas and remained in Louisville, Kentucky for 21 years. She passed away comfortably and peacefully in their home in Fern Creek, in her bed with her husband by her side. To Allie’s children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren she was known as “Miss Von.” Together they claimed 8 children, 12 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Allie’s children are Lataun S. Richardson, Lisa A. Richardson (Robert), Robert D. Sam, III (Katrina), Dr. Christopher B. Richardson (Jessica), and Dante Jackson (Tynita). Allie’s grandchildren are Desmien Green, Cian D Jackson, Kayla C. Jackson, Mya J. Jackson, Chase D. Jackson, Robert D. Sam, IV, Dymond O. Sam, Maximillian D. Gustave, Michael B. Richardson, and Ronin L. Richardson. Allie’s great grandchildren are Nova J. Sam, and Cian D. Jackson, Jr. She and Allie loved them all as their own big family.

Von will have a memorial ceremony in her hometown, Waco, TX before or after her internment in her final resting place in San Antonio, TX at the Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery. Donations may be made in her honor In lieu of flowers to Hosparus Health, C/O Development Dept, 6200 Dutchman’s Lane, Louisville, KY 40205.

To my Allie – I hope you feel that I enhanced, enabled, and magnified your journey of realizing a fullness of your joy and potential. That I was quick to say I was sorry and even quicker to forgive. That I had become or was becoming better and that you were inspired by my willingness to change and grow. I hope that you never doubted my love and loyalty to you and to our family and that I never did anything to affect your trust in me or in our marriage. That together we learned, loved, laughed deeply and often.

To my children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren – I hope that you look back and feel that you won the parent lottery. That I was a mother first, friend second and that you learned from me how to honor marital vows, keep covenants, serve others, sacrifice, work hard, love learning, how to set goals, apologize, pray and live with faith, maintain a hopeful and helpful attitude and outlook, and the importance of joy. I hope you learned to laugh often, to love much, to learn always, and that decisions determine destiny. Most importantly, I hope that you learned all these things from what you saw me doing and not just talking about.

To friends and others who attend my funeral – I hope you can stand witness that you have seen me striving to accomplish what I described above. Perhaps you were inspired by what you saw in me. It is more likely that you helped inspire me to achieve it. For that I thank you, for your examples, encouragement and friendship. I had bigger ambitions when I was younger or at least, I thought they were bigger. But I had come to realize that the greatest contribution I could make to the world was to adore my husband, honor God and raise God fearing great kids with great values.

A special thank you- to my A.J. Moore High School class of 1959 and Huston Tillotson Alums of the class of 1963 along with the Louisville, KY Hosparus Healthcare team who stuck by me while in Hospice care over the past two years. You all enriched my life through your dedicated caring.

She loved life. She loved her parents. She loved her siblings. She loved her children. She loved her grandchildren. She loved her great grandchildren. She loved her friends. She loved her husband. But she loved the Lord even more. So when He called her name, she stopped what she was doing, left everything behind, and ran swiftly into His arms. We love her and will miss her so!

“A Devoted Soldier’s Wife”

She was getting old and paunchy and her hair was falling fast, And she sat around the Officer’s Wives Auxiliary, telling stories of the past.

Of a war that her husband had fought in and the deeds that she had done, In her exploits with her fellow wives; they were heroines, every one.

And tho’ sometimes, to her neighbors, her tales became a joke,

All her fellow wives listened, for they knew whereof she spoke.

But we’ll hear her tales no longer for dear Von has passed away.

And the world’s a little poorer, for a soldier’s wife died today.

She will not be mourned by many, just her children and her spouse,

For she lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.

Held a job and raised a family, quietly going her own way,

And the world won’t note her passing, though a soldier’s wife died today.

If we cannot do her honor while she’s here to hear the praise,

Then at least let’s give her homage at the ending of her days.

Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,

Our country is in mourning, for a devoted soldier’s wife died today.