Charlotte J. Richardson "Me-Mom"

On Friday, October 18, 2013, Charlotte J. Richardson, 92, beloved wife of the late Willard L. Richardson, Jr., passed away . Loving mother of Willard L. Richardson, III, and wife Cindy, Jeffrey Richardson and wife Cindy, Judy Filipiak and husband, John, also surviving are her beloved grandchildren, John Filipiak II, Michael Filipiak, Kelly Upton and husband Ray, Lynn DiFatta and husband Nick, Sarah Funk and husband Kyle and Melissa Richardson. Survived, too, by her great grandchildren, Lauren, Juliana, Emmaline, and Isabella along with her brother, Henry F. Crane, extended loving family and many friends.

Family and friends are invited to gather at Gary L. Kaufman Funeral Home at Meadowridge Memorial Park, 7250 Washington Blvd, Elkridge, MD on Monday, October 21, 2013 from 3-5 pm and 7-9 pm, where a funeral service will be held on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 at 12 noon. Interment will follow in Crownsville Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville, MD., with military honors.

She was born in Natrona, PA in 1921; the 4th daughter and 6th child of Polish immigrants. She is survived by only one sibling, a brother. She lived in Pennsylvania and in the same home where she was born until she enlisted in military.

She was looking for a job after finishing school, and decided to enter the military. Her heart was set on enlisting with the United States Navy but after learning that with the Navy she may be sent to serve outside the United States, she decided to enlist with the United States Army instead. She wanted to remain in the US. There was a fee of $50 required to enlist which she didn't have. She worked odd jobs to like scrubbing floors and moving furniture in order to make that money and enlisted in the Army in August of 1943 in the Women's Army Corp (WAC). She spent time in Daytona Beach, FL., Camp Campbell, KY ., Fort Meade, MD., and Fort Dix, NJ. She was separated from the Army in 1945. During her military enlistment, she was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the American Service Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the WAAC Service Ribbon.

She met a gentleman by the name of Willard Richardson sometime during her military career. Mr. Richardson was a soldier of the United States Army who served his country in Europe during WWII. She did not take a "liking" to him but he pursued her and they were married on September 1, 1945 at Ft . Devens, MA.

They began their married life together settling in Baltimore "Pig Town", Maryland. Soon, thereafter, they started a family having two sons and a daughter. They settled in Catonsville , Maryland for a number of years and eventually moved to the Linthicum/Brooklyn Park area until after retirement

"Me-Mom", as she was known to her family (thanks to her granddaughter, Kelly), was extremely proud of her children, her grandchildren and their accomplishments. However, she often would get the names and those accomplishments mixed up making for some humorous confusion.

Charlotte loved to read everything she could get her hands on but her favorite topics for discussion were religion, politics and medicine. She also loved to work in both her rose and vegetable gardens.

She was a very religious and spiritual woman. She prayed everyday for her family , her friends and even family pets. Sting and Goose were her favorite family dogs. She would giggle uncontrollably when Sting licked her face and she would sneak "people" food and doggie treats to Goose. If she was interrupted from her daily prayer regime, she would end up starting her prayer list all over again that same day. Many of us can never be sure if some of the good things or successes we have accomplished throughout our lives happened because of Me-Mom's powerful prayers for us.