Grace Irene Richards

It is believed it was caused by her inability to get Fox News on her bedroom television and her need to discuss it with her late husband Marc.

She left behind a hell of a lot of stuff to her family who have no idea what most of it is and what to do with it. So, if you’re looking for a very eclectic collection of pictures, knick-knacks, outdated electronics and, everything from a wooden Indian to an original Edison Phonograph, keep a sharp eye on eBay over the next two years.

This is not an ad for a pawn shop, but an obituary for a great Woman, Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother born on December 29, 1931, in Weehawken, New Jersey, the daughter of the late James Thompson and Irene Lally. She was the youngest of four and is preceded in passing by her brother Dr. James Thompson and two sisters: Kathleen Huelbig and Rosemary Thompson.

In 1951, Grace married her true love - Marc Richards. Having known each other since Junior High School, when Marc left the United States Navy, they married soon after. In 1952, they brought into the world their first and only child – Lee Richards. Life for the family was difficult at first having to live in the attic of her parent’s house. However, that was not to last long as Marc led the family on an interesting journey through life.

Having started as a trainee draftsman with Bell Telephone Labs – at $35 a week – within 11 years he was running projects for the Military Information Systems within Bell Labs. This success was mainly due to the support of Grace who mostly stayed at home raising their son and maintaining the household. It was then that Marc declared “I am tired of working in ‘Corporate America’” and decided to quit - with the full support of Grace. Not knowing what he wanted to do, for a short period of time, both Grace and Marc took various jobs to keep the family going – Grace writing a column for the local newspaper and doing bookkeeping for the local Dairy Queen, and Marc managing a restaurant and selling vacuum cleaners.

The summer of 1964 became the first of many adventures for the family. Marc and Grace took jobs managing a tourist attraction in Netcong, New Jersey – Wild West City. The attraction had been shut down for several years and Grace took on the role of “rejuvenating” the stores and attractions in the “town”. This led to many trips to antique dealers for artifacts and started her life-long attraction to “knick-knacks”. This was not to last a long time – Marc was once again tired of the job. When Grace asked him what he REALLY wanted to do for a living, he was not sure. When she suggested he “had written her some great poems in High School so, why not become a writer”, it was an epiphany moment. Marc was going to be a writer.

Due to a very lucky break and the extreme kindness of Soupy Sales (who had the #1 TV Show in New York at the time), Marc was hired as his writer (he had never had a writer before). This led to a life-long career of writing for television, movies, Broadway plays, and animated series. Grace, the girl from the small town of Weehawken was now spending time with the likes of Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis Jr., Judy Garland and many others. However, this did not change her at all. Not being satisfied with staying at home she started working at Pacific Bell Telephone where she worked for many years in various management roles and then with the Social Security Administration until she retired.

Her closest friends were not the “show-biz” crowd, but what she referred to as the “real” people. Her friends were the “people next door”, the people she worked with, the “butcher”, the “baker”, the “candlestick maker”.

Grace was world-renowned for her lack of patience, not holding back her opinion and a knack for telling it like it is. She always told you the truth even if it wasn’t what you wanted to hear. With that said she was genuine and honest to a fault, a pussy cat at heart and yet you always knew what she thought.

She leaves behind a small but very close family that she was very proud of. She will be sorely missed and survived by her son Lee and his wife Valerie, her grandson Christian and his wife Lizbeth, and her beloved great-grandchildren: Ashlyn, Jordan, and Liana. In addition, she was very close to her numerous nieces and nephews as well as their children whom she often visited in New Jersey.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband Marc with whom she will be side-by-side forevermore at Medlin Cemetery in Trophy Club, Texas.

All whom loved her dearly and will never forget her tenacity, wit, charm, grace (when pertinent) and undying love and caring for them.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity in her name as that was her request – thinking of others instead of herself.

We will all miss you Grace – say hello to Marc when you see him…

The family will receive friends for a visitation on Friday, May 19, 2023, from 6 pm-8 pm, at KELLER'S OLD TOWN FUNERAL HOME, located at 220 Keller Pkwy, Keller, Texas 76248. This will conclude public services.

Respectfully, committal services will be private.

***Visitation will take place at the sister location of J.E. Foust & Son Funeral Directors, Keller's Old Town Funeral Home, at 220 Keller Pkwy, Keller, Texas 76248***

Floral Arrangements can be sent to J.E. Foust & Son Funeral Directors OR Keller's Old Town Funeral Home.