In Memory: William “Bill” Richardson ’71, MAEd ‘73

William “Bill” Richardson ’72, MAEd ‘73 died Oct. 6, 2021, at age 78. He was raised in New York and served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1962 to 1966, at bases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Puerto Rico, Korea, and Astoria, Ore. After his discharge, he earned his bachelor’s in education and speech therapy at Pacific, then taught at Banks Elementary School before completing his master’s in education. While at Pacific, he met Lena Smallwood ’69, and they married at Old College Hall. The family moved to southern Oregon, where Richardson worked as a teacher and supervisor for the Regional Program for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired, retiring in 2002. He also was a Boy Scout and Eagle Scout, firefighter and emergency medical technician for the volunteer Jackson County Fire District, and served for 17 years on the Oregon Judicial Department Citizen Review Board for abused and neglected children.

Richardson is survived by his wife, Lena (Smallwood) Richardson '69; his children, Jeremy (and Anisa) Richardson and Justin (and Leslie) Richardson; six grandchildren; and a great-grandson.