Leona Richardson
Leona Belle “Bette” Richardson, 84, died Dec. 13, 2014, at Brendan House while surrounded by her devoted daughters.
She was born Sept. 8, 1930, in Greenville, Tenn. to Carl and Ida Belle Roberts. Her siblings were Gladys Haywood, Paul Roberts, Lillian Figgins, Margaret Jordon and Louise Walters.
She married Charles J. Richardson on Feb. 24, 1949, in Franklin, Ohio. She was a stay- at-home devoted mother and later worked for Arapaho County Jail in Littleton, Colo. She lived at Prestige Assisted Living at the time of her death.
Some of her happiest memories were traveling by train. She would travel with her two girls, taking the California Zephyr from Denver to Chicago, then from Chicago by bus to Mason, Ohio, to visit her family. Bette and her daughters made this trip every summer.
She loved Sunday rides, flowers and gardening. She enjoyed embroidery and painting. She loved moon pies and See’s Candy. She loved her cats and her schnauzer dogs.
She is preceded in death her husband Charles and all of her siblings.
She is survived by her daughters Janie Wilcoxen and husband George, of Bigfork, and Susie Davis and husband Mike, of Columbia Falls; grandchildren Gabe Wilcoxen, of San Antonio, Texas, Nathan Wilcoxen and wife Shinnah, of Somers, Katie Haag and husband Ben, of Bigfork, Joel Wilcoxen and wife Noel, of Kalispell, Justin Davis and wife Samantha, of San Antonio, Sarah Anderson and husband Cory, of Columbia Falls, and Wesley Davis and wife Brittney, of Columbia Falls; and great grandchildren oldest to youngest Dobhran, Ellie, Mae, Flynn, Reese, Clara, Otto, Nalani, Orion, Liam, Ava, Bo and Natalie with one more great grandson on the way.
“She was taken from us with such short notice. We will miss her quick witted comments that always kept us guessing as to what she was going to say next. She leaves a void in our family that can never be filled. She was a believer in our lord and now is celebrating her first Christmas with him.”
Her immediate family will be celebrating her life on Christmas Day.