Mary Eveleen Richards 1920-2013

RICHARDS, LINDENBERG, WHITAKER

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 4/13/2017 at 13:41:19

Mary Eveleen Richards, 93, of Bethany Home, formerly of 1472 Locust St., died peacefully at Bethany Home Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013.

Mary was born on May 7, 1920, in Dubuque, daughter of Clarence Whitaker Richards and Lora (Lindenberg) Richards.

She graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. A veteran of World War II, she enlisted in the Naval Reserve and served from 1944 to 1946 in the hospital corps in Philadelphia and Great Lakes, Ill.

After receiving a master's degree in social work from Columbia University,she did postgraduate study in social work at Smith College. She worked for more than 50 years at agencies in New York, Cincinnati and Dubuque, where she returned to care for her mother. In Dubuque she worked at Hillcrest Babyfold, now Hillcrest Family Services, the Gannon Center for Community Mental Health and University of Iowa Child Health Specialty Clinics and was still active in her profession into her 80s.

Mary was a dedicated and tireless supporter of many organizations. She served on the boards of Bethany Home and Mount Pleasant Home, and she was a lifelong member of St. John's Episcopal Church, where her father was a founding member and where she served on the vestry and in various other capacities. A fellow member of a writers' group at St. John's remembers her wit and wisdom but says that most of all "the person of Mary was what attracted good people."

Survivors include five nieces and nephews and many friends and family who will miss her dearly.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Benjamin Billings Richards and Frederick Whitaker Richards.

Memorials may be given to Bethany Home or Mt. Pleasant Home.

A memorial service will be in June 2014 so that her family can gather to celebrate her life. The Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F. Kennedy Road, is in charge of the arrangements.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com.

The family especially thanks the staff at Bethany Home and Dubuque Hospice.

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Monday, December 30, 2013