John Gordon Richardson, Sr.
November 30, 1944 ~ April 10, 2008
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Asheville Butterfly Trail
John Gordon Richardson, Sr., 63, of Asheville, passed away Thursday, April 10, 2008, at the VA Medical Center.
A native of Washington County, NY, he was a son of the late Thomas and Sheila Lapan Richardson. A US Air Force veteran, Mr. Richardson served two tours in Vietnam and also served in Korea before retiring as a Tech Sergeant after 20 years of service. Following his retirement, he worked for Continental Airlines in California for 6 years and moved to Asheville in 1991.
A loving husband, father and grandfather, Mr. Richardson is survived by his wife, Tommie Letterman Richardson; two sons, Thomas D. Richardson and wife Samantha, John Gordon Richardson, II and wife Donna; a daughter, Kimberly Ross and a very special son-in-law, Daniel Ross; eight grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a sister, Connie Ciotti; two nieces and two nephews.
Funeral services will be 12:00 noon Monday at Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery Chapel with Pastor Keith Watkins officiating. Military honors will be provided by a detachment from Shaw Air Force Base.
His family will receive friends 7:00-8:30 pm Sunday at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue.
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Hello John I miss you more today than yesterday. Christmas is near please help me to make it through. I lost my strength when God took you an Isaiah from me. John you were and will always be the love of my life. I try to go on I fake alot of laughter and smiles but my world will not be complete until we are together again. Please give Isaiah kisses and hugs from me, he was my baby boy, wait for me I will join you both. MY love is sent to both of you on this holiday come to visit me more I need you now as I did when you were here. LOVE YOU AN
MISS YOU BOTH.
With deepest sympathy.Our prayers and love go out to your family. God bless all of you.
Love Always,
Charlene
My Deepest Sympathy…
At this moment of grief extend to you our support through this message
Dear Dad,
I just wanted to say Happy Veterans Day. You served our country for over 20 yrs and its heroes like you we all have to thank for. I hope you knew how proud I was of you Pops and how much I looked up to you. You’ll always be my hero forever and always.The days never seem to get easier and I miss you so much. I know you have little Isaiah up there with you now and I know you guys are in the magnifence presence of our Lord and watching over evryone.You may be gone Dad, but you will never be forgotten. I love you and please come see me in my dreams.
Your Son,
Tom (monkey)
this is to all friends and family members John an I had 34 long hard days before his death. We would sit and talk about the good times and the bad. He remembered everyone and hopes he will be remembered. John was the greatest he never refuse to be there for anyone who ask him.We will miss him very much his life was his children,and grandchildren. He had a grand son Tyler who was his best friend and had so many wonderful memories about. He was all to me we were together 41 years and did every thing together. I Love you John and hope you are with your mother and father having a wonderful time searching new grounds. I will see later in heaven and we can start a new adventure.
John Was a special friend and i will miss him very much
always made me feel like part of his family
wayne cripe
Dad,
You were always there for me no matter what. I will always remember the times we had together. You will always be my insperation and my hero in life. I love you Dad.
To The Richardson’s Family,
I’ve know john for a short of times when I was in Asheville in 5 years ago. John was greatest guy that helping me for what I needed.
Thank God he may rest in Heaven with his family and friends.
With deepest sympathy.Our prayers and love go out to your family. God bless all of you.
With my deepest sympathy: My thoughts and prayers are with you all. May God give you strength and comfort that only he can, to see you all through this time of sorrow.
John, I will always remember your laugh, I used to love to hear you get tickled about something like a gag gift for Christmas, or one of your grandkids being silly. I hope you know that no matter what, I’ve always had so much love and respect for you. I will always remember you telling me that you never had to worry about Lil’ John. That you considered me a good mother means everything to me. I want you to know that your grandson, John, has always and will always know that his Papaw John is a great man who Loves him very much, and he Loves you too.
Dear Dad,
You were a person,who was so loving and kind, and often you knew, what I had in my mind.You were a Dad that listened, a Dad who suggested and defended,and Dad you were always my very best friend. You were proud of my triumphs, but when things went wrong, Dad you were so patient, and so helpful and strong.In all that I do, your love will play a part,there will always be a place for you, deep in my heart. As each year that passes, I will be even more sad, but I will always be grateful and proud,to have the honor to have had you as my Dad. Thank-you Dad for listening and caring, for giving and sharing, but especially, for just being you. I love you Pops.I miss you with all my heart.Please be with me always and help watch over Mom. Me and the kids will never forget your contagious smile and presence and the love you always had for us. I know God has you in his Kingdom now and I know you are now at peace. Always know Dad, you were the greatest Dad ever.I’m trying to be so strong Dad, because I know that’s what you wanted, but it’s so hard.I will say special words at your funeral and I know you’ll be listening to every word.I hope I made you proud, and I hope I turned out to be half the man you were.Just know that Tyler misses his best friend and please be with him always too. Thank-you for caring and loving Samantha and the kids.You meant so much to many people.Know you’ll never be forgotten and I will always and forever love you with every ounce of my heart.
Love,
Your son Thomas
I am so proud to have known such a sweet, kind, gentle soul such as you John. You always made me feel such a part of the family, and was so good to the kids and myself. You had the best sense of humor and could always put a smile on everyone’s face. I can still hear you as you would walk out of the door saying ‘take care of each other’, and that we will do. I love you and will miss you.
Dear Kay & Family,
Time has definately runaway from us,but I will always remember uncle Johnny as the lovely man that he was. Not only were you blessed with having him as a husband and father, but he was blessed as well with having the wife and kids that he had. He will definately be missed but there will be a day when we will all see one another again. All my love to you all, and God Bless you all.
Tracey Vincik
Richardson Family,
My heart goes out to you in the passing of your Father, Grandfather and Husband. I only have two uncles and John is my favorite. He was a good and kind man who would give you the shirt off his back if you asked for it. I have many fond memories of ‘Uncle Johnny’ growing up as a small child and into my adult years as well.My deepest sympathy’s to all. Rest in Peace Uncle Johnny.
Kay and family,
I just wanted you to know how much I loved my uncle Johny, he was my favorite and I told him that when I saw him Tuesday! God Bless you all, your in my thoughts and prayers!
Dear Pappaw,
I miss you very much and I love you.You were my very best friend.
Love,
Grandson Tyler Richardson
Dear Pappow,
I want you to know that i miss you so much you ment the world to me,you have done so much for me and i will never forget that eaither. You have done so much for me since the day i can remember and the best of them all is the times we spent doing thigs when i was in ROTC it was so much fun!!! But i want you to know i said a prayer for you and that was for you to get better and you know what Pappow? You did and i could not be any happier for you,but this is not the end Pappow cause one day i know we will be together again.
love you always,
Annastacia
Dear, Peapaw
You ment so much to me, You were there for me whenever i neeeded you. I miss you very much and i love you to death. I hope you are in paece, and i hope you are watching over me and the rest of your family an friends. But i also want you to know that this is not the end that we can catch up and ment again. I love
It has been 1 month and feels like only hours since I have seen or touched you. I miss you more today than ever,I can’t get you off my mind. John I hope you know how much I love you,you were my life,hope and strength. I wish I was there with you talking and walking new grounds. I can still hear you saying whats new today,when you got up. I still watch Good Morning America and get the news for you. I love John and miss so much.
I am so sorry for your loss. I regret I am unable to join my wife Tracey for the sevice. God bless John and all of the family. John is an American hero who will be missed by all.
Sincerely, Tony Vincik.
Dear Dad,
I wanted to wish you a very happy Birthday today.I know you are ejoying your first one with the Dear Lord. I miss you so much and I think of you all the time. Tyler says he loves you and Samantha and the kids all miss you. Please come and visit me in my dreams again and give Isaiah a big hug and kiss from everybody.
Love always,
Tom
Even though I only got the chance to see Uncle Johnny a few times I know that he was a great man because he is my grandmothers brother. All of my thoughts and prayers are with you all right now. Much love and God Bless!
A kind and gentle man with a big heart. He will be missed by all who knew him. God Bless You Uncle
Johnny.
Anthony Ciotti
i will miss trowing my hand up at john when psses buy i know the family will miss him very much becasuse he was helping you all time
Although I met my great Uncle Johnny only a few times, I know the world has suffered a blow with his passing. He was a kind and gentle man. May he rest in peace.
I would like to take this time to Thank everyone for being there for John. I know he was watching down on us and smiling, we all had a memory with him I lisiten to them and I could see John saying (or) doing them. He was a special man and had so much to give.Thank-you all for being there and seeing my husband layed to rest. This is going to take along time to accept he was a young man with so much life left to live,can’t wait to join him and start a new adventure.Please remember John as the person he was Honest,Caring, and Giving person.I miss you John I can’t think of how to express it I love you and will think of you each and everyday.
I love you
your wife and
friend Tommie
Dear John,
As I sat at your bedside on April 8th I couldn’t help but remember the good times we had as kids. Three incidents stand out, I remember when you and Micheal Brookstein were smoking in are shed and caught the hay on fire, dad made you sit and smoke a cigar and you literally turned green. Remember when you shot me in the head with your B-B gun almost took my eye out, I don’t think you ever saw your B-B gun again. You and I would do something to upset grandma Richardson and she would start yelling at us and out would pop her teeth well when we saw that we new enough to run and hide, but of coarse we caught the wrath of dad when he got home from work. Then we grew up and I married and you were always there to help me take care of my kids, they all loved and respected you so much! I know mom and dad were standing at the end of the tunnel to welcome you home. I am so happy to have had a brother like you in my life. I think I have rambled on enough rest in peace John till we meet again, remember I will always love you and miss you!
John, It’s been a year today since you went to Heaven and we miss you SO MUCH. You know we’ve lost so many in this family and even though our hearts still ache mssing You, Isaiah, Michael and Caleb, It helps some, knowing that Isaiah is with his Papaw, and Michael and Caleb are there together with you and all the ones we Love who have gone before. We know you all are in Heaven, where there is no pain or sadness, just happiness and Gods love all around you. But we can’t help but be sad, for it’s the presence of such wonderful people in our lives, and the loss of it, leaves such a void in us that we tend to let that overshadow the fact that you are with the father in Paradise. I said to John (your son) a while back, remembering you and your sense of humor…I could almost picture you up in Heaven sitting on the edge of a big ole’ comfy recliner with Isaiah on your knee, both of you laughing and playing, and you looking down at one of us crying, and you reach down and wack us on the back of the head (lightly of course) and say ‘hey ya big dummy, WE’RE in a better place than YOU are, quit your cryin and being sad, and move on, we got it covered up here. I love ya and we’ll see ya when you get here.’ That may be odd to some, and I hope it’s not taken wrong by anyone. I just remember you John, not being one for ‘mush’, but always caring when someone hurt, and in your own ‘stern, but funny ways’ you could always make things better. I LOVE YOU JOHN, Donna
John, It’s been a year today since you went to Heaven and we miss you SO MUCH. You know we’ve lost so many in this family and even though our hearts still ache mssing You, Isaiah, Michael and Caleb, It helps some, knowing that Isaiah is with his Papaw, and Michael and Caleb are there together with you and all the ones we Love who have gone before. We know you all are in Heaven, where there is no pain or sadness, just happiness and Gods love all around you. But we can’t help but be sad, for it’s the presence of such wonderful people in our lives, and the loss of it, leaves such a void in us that we tend to let that overshadow the fact that you are with the father in Paradise. I said to John (your son) a while back, remembering you and your sense of humor…I could almost picture you up in Heaven sitting on the edge of a big ole’ comfy recliner with Isaiah on your knee, both of you laughing and playing, and you looking down at one of us crying, and you reach down and wack us on the back of the head (lightly of course) and say ‘hey ya big dummy, WE’RE in a better place than YOU are, quit your cryin and being sad, and move on, we got it covered up here. I love ya and we’ll see ya when you get here.’ That may be odd to some, and I hope it’s not taken wrong by anyone. I just remember you John, not being one for ‘mush’, but always caring when someone hurt, and in your own ‘stern, but funny ways’ you could always make things better. I LOVE YOU JOHN, Donna
Dad, It is one year today that you were taken away from us. I know that people say it gets easier with time, but I can tell you, I miss you just as much today as I did a year ago. I love you so much and try each day to be as good a Dad to lilman as you were to me. I know that I can never be better because that is an impossible task. I am so proud to carry on your name and for my son to carry your name as well, it is an honor I hold deep in my heart. I know you are looking over us and know how much we love you. There has never been a better father, husband, and papaw anywhere. Everyone misses you Pop. I love you Dad. John Gordon Richardson II
Dad,
It is almost Christmas again and we all still think of you every day. I try each day to still be as good a husband, a man, and especially a dad as you were. Lilman says all the time he loves and misses you. You are in our thoughts always. I know you are looking down over us and hear us talking to you. I know you are with our Lord and will be there to welcome all of us when it is our time. Love you Pop.