Thomas Patrick Richards
1949-2019
The Richards families and friends have said their final tearful
goodbyes to their beloved Tom. He left them all behind at the Dr.
Everett Chalmers Hospital on August 8 , 2019, cradled by his wife
Sally, and supported by his priest, Father John Beaumaster, sister
Lois Anne, in-laws John, Margaret and Shelagh.
Tom was born on April 28, 1949, in Saint John, NB to the late Reg and
Rita (O’Brien) Richards, the fourth of their six children.
Tom graduated from St. Malachy’s High School (Saint John), the
University of New Brunswick (Fredericton), and the University of
Ottawa, MA Criminology. As a student, Tom worked on the Canadian Coast
Guard ships out of Saint John for four years. His professional career
involved employment with the Solicitor General’s Department as
the Superintendent of the NB Training School and Reformatory and the
Saint John City Jail. He also served as the NB Regional Correctional
Administrator and was seconded by the Department of Advanced Education
to develop the Youth Worker Program. These positions all required him
to manage Human Resources, and to draft policy and procedure manuals.
Additionally, during retirement, he served as a Financial Advisor with
a local firm.
Tom was a member of Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church, the Nackawic
Moldy Oldies hockey team, Nackawic Golf Club, Nackawic Lions Club and
Toastmasters and the previous chair of the School District 28 Board of
School Trustees. He coached minor hockey, bred and showed Basset
Hounds and enjoyed 4 wheeling, fishing, playing cards, sailing,
golfing and especially cherished the many winters spent in Florida
playing golf and exploring. He will be remembered for his quick wit,
infectious smile, marvellous sense of humour, kind and generous manner
and love of children.
Tom leaves to mourn, his wife of 47 years, Sally (Gray); their son
Crispen (Sandra) and his beloved grandsons Luca and Gabriel all of
Stoney Creek, ON; his siblings Lois Anne Kneeland (John), Doug
(Margaret), Peter (Valerie), Bruce (Valerie), all of Saint John, NB;
Jane of Vancouver, BC; his sister-in-law Margaret (Shelagh),
Stratford, PE; several nieces and nephews, as well as numerous
cherished friends and neighbours.
The visitation will be held at Flewelling Funeral Home, 585 Otis
Drive, Nackawic, NB on Friday, August 16, 2019 from 5 to 8 pm. The
Celebration of Life will be held at Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic
Church, 199 Otis Drive, Nackawic on Saturday, August 17, 2019 at 11:30
am with Father John Beaumaster officiating. A private family interment
will follow at the Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Cemetery in Upper
Queensbury.
Donations to the Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church (St. John the
Baptist Parish), or the IWK, because of his love of children, would be
appreciated.
The family is grateful for the excellent care that Tom received during
his struggle. They acknowledge the support of the doctors and staff of
the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital ICU, 4NW, ER and oncology department
as well as the doctors and staff of 5AS at the Saint John Regional
Hospital. Doctors Mary Ann Bramstrup, Elizabeth Zed, Terry Comeau, as
well as those who assisted along the way, will be fondly remembered
and thanked for their valiant efforts to restore Tom to health.
“I’ll let you go. Catch you later, Buddy. Just
sayin’!”
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Thomas Patrick Richards 19492019..
Décès pour la Ville: Nackawic, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick