Marjorie Jean Richards

Born in Metet, M'Balmeyo, Cameroun, West Africa to her Presbyterian missionary parents, Marj attended high school in Florida in 1948 and met up with her family in Sterling, Colorado in 1949 where she graduated in 1952. After high school she attended college in Hastings, Nebraska. She became a teacher’s assistant where her future mother-in-law was teaching. She soon met the love of her life Leland C. Richards and was married on August 17th, 1958. They started a family and then in 1965 moved to Grand Junction. She spent the first few years as a stay at home mom, then landed a job at Bookcliff Middle School as a librarian assistant. Soon she pursued her degree at Western State College where she earned her Bachelor's degree in teaching. She taught at Lincoln Orchard Mesa elementary and Mesa View elementary, retiring in 1994.

She was a member of PEO and Delta Kappa Gamma accordingly.

Marj and Lee made the best of their retirement going on extended camping trips, visiting with family and friends along the way. Making numerous trips to Alaska after spending the summer there. She enjoyed knitting, working on word puzzles, reading her daily devotionals and singing at First Presbyterian and Covenant Presbyterian Churches in Grand Junction, and Timnath Presbyterian on the Front Range.

Marj was preceded in death by her parents Dr. Francis N. White and Kathrine White (Kearns). She is survived by her husband, Leland Richards, her children, Pam Friesen (Dale) of Grand Junction and Brad Richards of Anchorage AK, three grandchildren, Shawn Friesen (Becca), Kent Friesen (Dakota), and Leland Friesen (Elizabeth), and three great grandchildren.

A memorial service for Leland and Marjorie will be held Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary & Crematory, 2515 Patterson Rd., Grand Junction, Colorado 81505