Willard "Willy" Albert Richards

He is preceded in death by his parents Willard Ferdinand Richards, Florence Myrna (Spitzock) Engelbert and Stepfather Norbert Engelbert.

Willy is survived by his wife of 62 years Sharon Lee (Schroeder) Richards, sister Patricia McNeela, daughter Debra, son Larry (Debbie), grandsons Joseph (Inez) and Nicholas (Ashley), great grandchildren Zachary and Charlie Ann, nephews Michael (Nancy), Mark (Hector) and Martin, and great niece Eliana.

He enjoyed trips to Blackhawk, playing cards (poker or pinochle), watching sports, and going to the movies with his grandsons.

Willy is known for his loving spirit, sense of humor and teasing personality.

Willy’s memorial service and interment will be held at 2 pm on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at Olinger Highland Mortuary & Cemetery Chapel 10201 Grant Street, Thornton, CO 80229.

We appreciate your love and support at this difficult time. Fond memories & expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhighland.com.

EULOGY:

Willard (Willy) Albert Richards was born to Willard Ferdinand Richards and Florence Myrna (Spitzock) Engelbert on October 12, 1939 and raised by his mother and stepfather Norbert Engelbert.

He was an adventurous child who thought he could fly. Willy jumped off the roof of the house, bounced off one bus, only to get bounced off another bus coming the other way. Talk about lucky! And ornery. When he was a teen, he talked his sister into putting her finger in a light socket or what about the time he went to hit her; she ducked and put his hand through a plate glass window.

He loved his sports. One day he went fishing and put fishhooks in his back pocket. But on his way home he decided he would play baseball. You guessed it..... He slid into home plate and got fishhooks caught in his butt. Bet that bloody walk home and getting the hooks pried out, was painful. Later in life he tried out for the Chicago White Sox. Unfortunately, they were not looking for the position he played.

He ran away to Florida when he was 16, (according to him) to wrestle the alligators. When he got back from Florida, he joined the army. He served his country by driving a truck. After the army, Willy went back to Chicago and lived in the Irving Park Hotel. At that time, he worked as an assemble man for various places. Willy went to a party and met a girl named Sharon Lee Schroeder in February 1961. It was love at first sight and they married on April 8th of that same year.

After about a month, He and Sharon decided to move to Colorado. They would live with his mother and stepfather. Willy got a job as a railroad worker loading mail in the box cars. At one, time he was offered a position to help build the railroad in Australia. Sharon did not want to move so they stayed in Colorado.

They had a daughter, Debra Lee Richards, in June of 1962 and a son Larry Albert Richards born in March of 1966.

He was laid off from the railroad and became a janitor/head custodian for Boulder Valley Schools. Being a person that would help others, when the school became a tech school, Willy became a Guinea pig. The student nurses would use his arm to practice drawing blood. Willy was so loved, when he retired, they built a meditation garden and placed a plaque there labeled “Willy's Garden.”

He still enjoyed being active by joining a bowling league with Sharon, playing basketball (HORSE) at the backyard basketball hoop, and playing street football with his son and neighbor Roger Shurtleff. He enjoyed playing cards, Poker (his favorite game was “Guts”) and pinochle.

His son married Deborah Kay Frank. They proceeded to give Willy two grandsons: Joesph and Nicholas. Joesph married Inez and gave him two great grandchildren. A lad named Zachary and a little lady named Charlie. Nicholas married Ashley.

Willy enjoyed taking his grandsons to the movies. He had a great sense of humor. When visiting his sister in Chicago (she worked at a bar) he told the patrons that he was a rodeo star. At one point, he taught Ashley how to play pinocle and told her he was opening a school in Debbie and Larry's garage.

He would sing “silly” love songs, write romantic notes, and leave them around the house. No wonder Willy and Sharon were still in love after 62 years.

Willy joined Jesus on August 5, 2023. He was 83 years old. He will be missed until we see him again!