Kenneth Will Richardson, Jr
June 26, 1919 ~ May 23, 2016
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Asheville Butterfly Trail
Kenneth Will Richardson, Jr., passed away Monday, May 23, 2016 at the Deerfield Retirement Community.
He, along with his identical twin brother, George, were born June 26, 1919 in Clinton, Massachusetts to Kenneth Will Richardson, Sr. and Alice Mary Richardson (nee Lee).
Kenneth was raised in Framingham, Massachusetts. He went to Northeastern University (a co-op University) where he was able to pay all of his expenses for his B.S. in Chemical Engineering through his summer and co-op jobs. He graduated in uniform in 1942, married the former Jeannetta (Jan) Annis in 1943, and then served three years in the Navy (two of them in the Pacific theatre where he rose from ensign to lieutenant senior grade). He worked for PPG Industries for thirty seven years, managing chemical process development. He was awarded eleven U.S. patents while at PPG.
Ken and his wife Jan traveled all over the world seeing how other people lived, enjoying the scenery, etc. They retired to Asheville in 1983 and designed and built their own home on Sunset Summit. He helped Habitat for Humanity build over ninety houses for low income families and was an active member of the Country Club of Asheville where he shot his age or better in golf 386 times.
After losing his wife of 73 years earlier this year, Kenneth is survived by his and Jan's three children, Gail D. Richardson (Dave Austin), Kenneth Will Richardson III (Conni), and Steven Annis Richardson (MaryAnn).
No services are scheduled, however, the family graciously asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Richardson Trust at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family
With sympathy and prayers I say ‘Good Bye’ to a great man who will be missed by all.
Neil Thagard
Neil K’s Hairstyling
Ken and I were friends going back to Asheville Country Club days .As a matter of fact I played with him many times when he shot his age or less.In later years I saw Ken quite abit over at Deerfield when we were checking on Lindsay Harper also a friend from ACC days.I just noticed his birthday is same as my wife’s.She will be 87..We live at Givens Estates.Ken was a terrific guy and he will be greatly missed.
The letter from Gail, received yesterday, contained sad, unexpected news that Ken is gone. We were classmates at Northeastern in the early 1940’s and had been in touch ever since. I know that all who knew Ken are going to miss hearing from him again. I send his family my condolences.