Barbara Neely Richards

Barbara Neely Richards (maiden name Barbara Lee Neely) passed away peacefully in her room at the Friendship Village Health Care Center on Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 in Tempe, Arizona at the age of 99.

Barbara was born on November 5th, 1922 in Long Beach, California to Wendell Phillips Neely and Hazel Olive Ferguson. She attended the University of Southern California where she studied marketing and advertising before leaving to help out at her father’s advertising agency during the war (WWII). She later met and married Gale Lee Richards, then a young naval officer, on April 19th, 1944. After the war, Gale completed his Ph.D. at the University of Iowa and taught at several Universities including Drake University, the University of Nevada at Reno, the University of Washington, and USC before finally ending up at Arizona State University, while Barbara served as homemaker and faculty wife. Barbara was very active socially and in various women’s organizations such as Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, Panhellenic, P.E.O., and the Faculty Wives Club of ASU. She had also been very active in recent years with the Kiwanis Club of Friendship Village, Tempe and was awarded the George F. Hixson Fellowship. Like her father before her, one of Barbara’s lifelong passions was art (which she also studied at ASU) and she drew portraits of family and friends for many years.

Barbara is survived by her children Robin Lee, Wendell Scott, and Jeffrey Marshall, and grandchildren Karli, Alisha, and Jayden. Barbara is predeceased by her parents and her husband Gale.

The funeral date is pending due to covid-19, and will be held at Friendship Village 2645 East Southern Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85282. Please look for updates at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made in Barbara’s name to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014.