Carol Jean Richardson

Carol Jean Richardson, 87, of Paola, Kansas, passed away Monday, May 15, 2023, at Olathe Hospice House, Olathe, Kansas.

Celebration of life will be held 1:00 P.M., Thursday, May 25, 2023, at Dengel & Son Mortuary, Ottawa. The family will greet friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M., Wednesday, May 24, 2023, at the mortuary.

Interment Mount Hope Cemetery, Williamsburg, Kansas.

Carol Jean Richardson was born Saturday, May 25, 1935, in Dodge City, Kansas, the daughter of William James and Lizzie (Camp) Reekie. Carol grew up in the Richmond-Princeton area. She graduated from Princeton High School with the class of 1953.

On March 20, 1955, Carol was united in marriage to Reed Francis Richardson in Ottawa. Carol and Reed lived in Ottawa until 1967, then moved to Garnett. They shared sixty-five years together. He proceeded her in death on February 26, 2020. After Reed passed in 2020, Carol moved to the Spring Hill area to be close to her daughter.

Carol was a stay-at-home mom with her three children, often helping her husband Reed out at A&P Grocery, as well as helping her children with their paper routes, and getting them to events. In August of 1972 she became employed by the Anderson County School District as a Food Service Cook. She retired from the district after twenty-six years. After retiring, she and a few members of the Christian Church organized weekly Wednesday night dinners for the community. The crew, as they were called, hosted these dinners for five years.

She was a member of the First Christian Church in Garnett, supporting the church in any way she could. Carol and Reed had a crafting business called RCR Crafts, doing all types of crafts. They enjoyed traveling to Oklahoma to visit their son Steven and family. She could often be found crocheting baby blankets for grandbabies and great grandbabies. Carol also loved to read and trade books with fellow church members. She liked to collect angels.

Carol was preceded in death by her husband, Reed Richardson; her parents, Jim and Lizzie Reekie; and four sisters, Ruby Hamilton, Roberta Knight, Thelma Hamilton, and Fern Olsen, five brothers, Harold Reekie, Wilbur Reekie, Jimmy Reekie, Bill Reekie, and Larry Reekie. Carol was the last of ten children to survive.

Survivors include her children, Carl Richardson and wife Lana of Emporia, Kansas, Kathy Wulfkuhle and husband Chris of Spring Hill, Kansas, and Steven Richardson and wife Lisa of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; eight grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren.

The family suggests memorial contributions to Vintage Park of Paola Activities Fund or Olathe Hospice House c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067.