William James Richardson's Obituary
• William James Richardson
• Born May 18, 1918 in Midview, Duschene County, Utah. • Died June 26, 2012 in West Jordan, Utah age 94 • He passed in peaceful loving care of his son Robert James Richardson Funeral services will be for the public, friends and family Location: LDS West Jordan Chapel at 6695 South 2200 West Saturday July 7th, 2012 Time of Viewing in the Relief Society Room at 4 pm Memorial Service in the Chapel at 5 pm Burial and Graveside Family service immediately following at Crescent Cemetery. • Married to Charlotte Nelson December 9th 1941 in the Manti Temple. • Jim’s wife & sweetheart Charlotte passed on Christmas Day 2005. • Their daughter Rosina Lee Buckley died in a car accident in 2004 • Surviving children are Sylvia Olson, Robert James and Karyne Meads • Surviving sister Carol McKinney Alexander • He is called grandpa by 84 Grandchildren & Great grandchildren • He was a lyric Tenor Soloist for the Tabernacle Choir • Attended University of California at Berkeley in Music and Voice. • Was a Pilot in the Air force in WWII. • Served a full time mission in 1952 to 54 to Argentina, during the Korean War when the LDS Church called married 70’s again, leaving his wife of 9 years and 4 young children, Sylvia age 8, Robert age 5, Rosina age 3, Karyne age 1. • Returned in 1954 and moved to Los Angeles to begin a singing career with family. • Moved to Sacramento, Ca in 1957 for Construction Work • Served an LDS Construction Mission from 1961 to 1965 to Argentina. This time taking his family with him. He built the Ramos Mejia LDS Chapel with the first Construction missionaries. • Returned from mission to Oakland, Ca. In 1965 at the age of 47 he began his 40 year career as a Piano Technician and became skilled in rebuilding, voicing, re-stringing, ivory key replacement, tuning by ear rather than with a machine and also sound board restoration techniques which Steinway in New York came to study. He became the Guild President and trained other technicians in his techniques. • Served faithfully at Branch President to the Spanish in Oakland, Ca for 5 years following his 2nd Mission. • Served in the Logan Temple from 1971 to 1974. • Moved to Boise, Idaho to build his piano business. • He and Mom sponsored many Viet Namese families while they were in Boise, Idaho. • Choir Director for Civic and Church events through his life. • Vocal Soloist all his adult life for Easter and Christmas Cantata’s. • Gardening was one of his hobbies. He could make anything grow bigger and better than anyone we knew. Grapes, corn, berries, melons, flowers, especially iris and roses of all colors. • He loved to hold his beloved wife Charlotte’s hand, at church, walking, dancing. He would thank her for dinner and give her a great big kiss at the end of every meal. We knew his love for our Mother was real and enduring. • He constantly studied the scriptures. If he was not working, out helping people with a church assignment, he was in personal deep study of the scriptures and the books of the modern living prophets. • He never raised his voice to Mom, or to us, his children. He never said an unkind word. • He was a man without guile. He had great compassion for all he worked with. • He gave all of his life’s possessions to his children and grandchildren in the last years of his life, to make sure they were safe and able to care for themselves. • He donated to the Charitable 501 (c) 3 clinical research at Your Health Your Choice Foundation Research for reversing Autism. • He gave freely to www.YourHealthYourChoice.us he believed they could save a child’s mind and life.
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