Kenneth E. Richardson

Kenneth E. Richardson, 80, of Orlando, Florida, passed away on Sunday, May 27, 2012 surrounded by family. He was the oldest of nine children, born on February 8, 1932 to Alonzo William and Dorothy Perkins Richardson in Springwater, New York. Kenneth excelled at sports in high school and married the love of his life, Joyce Anne Washburn, on March 10, 1951. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on November 19, 1951 where he became an airplane mechanic and made lifelong friends while stationed in New York, Texas, Florida, Guam, Kansas, New Hampshire, England and New Mexico. After twenty-one years he ‘retired’ to Orlando, Florida.

Kenneth’s mechanical skills were valued by all and there wasn’t anything with a motor that he couldn’t fix! He restored many cars (boats) for friends and family. He was an avid sports fan after playing high school basketball and football in the forties; racing stock cars in the fifties; coaching baseball and football in the sixties; and dancing which included square dancing in the sixties and the seventies. He spent the last thirty years following his grandkids as they participated in baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and track & field in Orlando and Helena, Montana. He attended the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 2000 Sydney Olympics to support his daughter, “Doctor Dot” Richardson, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist in softball.

Kenneth is predeceased by his mother and father, sister Neva and brothers Lynn and George. He is survived by his loving wife, Joyce (Washburn) and five children Kathy Seacat (Scott), Laurie Rozier (Jake), Kenny Richardson, II (Kimberly), Dorothy Pinto (Bob), and Alonzo Richardson (Leslie); brother Larry Richardson (Mary) and sisters Barbara Smith (Bob), Rose Roland (Greg), Louise Barnhardt, and Janice Vorndran (Chuck), and numerous nieces and nephews. He spent many hours with his ten grandchildren Mark Seacat (Katie), Maegan Richardson, Alison Strange, Lisa DeLuca (Steven), Dustin Richardson (Rosara), Sara Crow (Andrew), Charles Parker, JR Rozier, Katie Richardson, and Sam Richardson and truly established a dynasty with his eight great grandchildren Phoenix Rose Strange, Domenic Pierre Richardson, Knox Andrew Crow, Vincent Heath Richardson, West Alan Seacat, Baby Crow (June 2012), and Babies by DeLuca (Twins A & B, December 2012).

Kenneth and Joyce have been members of the Faith United Methodist Church for forty years. Friends and family are invited to a celebration of Kenneth’s life. The funeral services including a viewing at 10:30 a.m. and a service at 11 a.m. will be held on May 30, 2012 at Faith United Methodist Church (1411 N Dean Road). Arrangements have been handled by Carey-Hand Cox Parker Funeral Home. Kenneth will be interred at Glenhaven Cemetery with military honors on Wednesday May 30th.

Memorial donations may be made in Kenneth’s name to the Faith United Methodist Church.

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