Estelle Richardson

Estelle was born in Woodsford, Maine on August 20, 1927 as Stella May Gill. Her name was later changed to Estelle Maxim. Estelle loved to spend weekends and summers at the family cottage at Baptist Pond, which is where she met her future husband, Jim, at the age of 14. She graduated from Revere High School on the honor roll. In 1945, at the age of 18, she married James John Richardson at the First Baptist Church in Everett, Mass. They were married for 57 years when Jim died in 2003.

Estelle worked at the Charleston Navy Yard during the war, after she graduated from high school.

When she got married, they lived in North Billerica, Mass for 5 years. Janet was born in 1946 and Lynne in 1950. Estelle loved to camp at Dolly Copp in the White Mountains with family and friends, and often told stories from those days. In 1955 Jim and Estelle decided to be adventurous and move to California, where there was a lot of work, so said good-bye to family and friends and headed out West. Estelle always missed New England, though, and still had a bit of her accent 57 years later.

Estelle worked at Rocketdyne until Caryl-Ann came along in 1963, at which time she stayed home until the mid 70’s, when she went back to work for a few years. Estelle loved spending time with her family and friends, and continued to enjoy camping for many years, at Lake Tahoe and numerous other places in California.

Jim and Estelle mostly lived in California until Jim’s retirement in 1985, at which time they retired to Olympia Washington, where Jan was living. Caryl-Ann followed in 1986 and Lynne in 1995. Estelle decided she didn’t want to be a golf widow, so took up golf, which she and Jim enjoyed for many years. After Jim’s death in 2003, Estelle moved to Ridgefield, WA.

Estelle is survived by Jan and Terry Storey, Lynne Balfour, Caryl-Ann and David Copenhaver, and her grandchildren Dustin King, Kelli Anderson, Chelsea, Paige and Faith Copenhaver. She was loved by many and we have the hope of seeing her again with our Lord for eternity.

Arrangements under the direction of Vancouver Funeral Chapel, Vancouver, WA.