Jerome "Jon" Richardson Jr.

Charlotte - Mr. Richardson, 53, passed away on July 16, 2013 after an extended illness. He was born on August 11, 1959 in Spartanburg, SC, son of Jerome Johnson Richardson, Sr. and Rosalind Sallenger Richardson.

Jon was a man of integrity and grace, whether catching footballs as a wide receiver at UNC, directing the construction of Bank of America Stadium or enduring the cancer that weakened his body, yet never daunted his spirit. His life was centered in a joyful, unfaltering faith that resonated in everything he did.

Jon loved, above all, family: Kathleen, his wife of 27 years, and their children Johnson, Rose and Claire, for whom his affection and adoration were limitless. He cherished his parents, brother and sister, and was an extraordinary friend to a wide and diverse circle of friends. Jon was a giver, always reaching out, as generous with his time and his heart as he was with his resources. Jon appreciated simple things the most, from the roses and tomatoes he tended, to catching fish and sitting on the porch. He had a gift for savoring life, and inspired others to do the same.

Raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Jon graduated from Spartanburg High School, where he was a three-sport letterman. He attended Fork Union Military Academy for a post-graduate year before earning a football scholarship to UNC-Chapel Hill, where he was a starting wide receiver and led the team in receptions in 1981. He earned a BA in Economics at UNC in 1982 and his MBA there in 1987. He and his wife then launched A-OK Home Services in Chapel Hill, selling the successful business before Jon joined the Panthers organization as Director of Stadium Operations in 1994. He was President of Panthers Stadium LLC from 1996 until 2009.

Jon was a mentor and tutor at a local elementary school and a champion of A Better World, a Charlotte organization that helps children in challenged neighborhoods to develop their gifts and talents. He served as a member of the Board of Directors at A Better World, Fork Union Military Academy, the Charlotte Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Charlotte Regional Sports Commission. He was named Volunteer of the Year for the South Atlantic Division of the American Cancer Society in 2005, and received the Business Humanitarian Award for the Charlotte Chapter of South Carolina State University.

The family wishes to express deep gratitude to the many outstanding medical personnel, headed by Jon’s personal physician Dr. Robert Heyer, who provided excellent and compassionate care over the last 13 years.

Jon is survived by his wife, Kathleen Crouch Richardson, and their children, Jerome Johnson Richardson, III, Rose Katelyn Richardson and Claire Crouch Richardson; his parents, Jerome Johnson Richardson, Sr. and Rosalind Sallenger Richardson of Charlotte; his brother, Mark Sallenger Richardson and wife Kathryn Fritch Richardson of Charlotte; his sister, Ashley Richardson Allen and husband Steven Edward Allen of Charlotte; father-in-law, James Garland Crouch of Spartanburg, SC; sister-in-law, Kelly Crouch of Frisco, TX; sister-in-law, Margaret Crouch Crowley and husband Kevin Glenn Crowley of Spartanburg, SC. He is also survived by his beloved nieces and nephews, Caroline Allen, Matthew Steven Allen, Hannah Allen, Lukas Richardson Allen, Asbury Sallenger Richardson, Raven Rosalind Richardson, Kevin MacClancy Crowley, Margaret Garland Crowley.

A service to celebrate the life of Jon Richardson will be held at 11:00 am Friday, July 19th at Forest Hill Church, with the Reverend David Chadwick officiating. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to A Better World, Inc., 4527 Freedom Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208, or Fork Union Military Academy, 4744 James Madison Highway, Fork Union, VA 23055.