John H. Richards, age 83, of Sunbury, Ohio, died peacefully on Thursday morning, July 21, 2016, at Country View of Sunbury. He was born on Dec. 28, 1932, in Thurman, Ohio in Gallia County, the son of the late Clarence and Mabel (Davis) Richards.
John was a graduate of the former Bloomfield High School in Jackson, Ohio, and a veteran of the United States Army. He was a proud member of Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 98 and worked at Lambert Sheet Metal for more than 25 years until his retirement in 1995. Not one to rest on his laurels, John kept busy in retirement by driving for Jack Maxton Chevrolet in Worthington for the next 20 years.
On Jan. 24, 1953, he married Shirley Fugett in Jackson, Ohio. There was a light in her eyes and the sweetest smile on her face as she described her and John’s 63 years of marriage.
He was an active member of the Genoa Baptist Church in Westerville where he looked forward to weekend worship and attending dinners. Most importantly, he reveled in the fellowship and community those opportunities created. John was a man of faith and it was a pleasure for his family to watch him in his daily walk with God.
John was a skilled craftsman. In addition to sheet metal he also worked with stainless steel and wood. His daughter Joie spoke of a unique work of art he created out of stainless steel that even when looking you couldn’t find the seams, and his son Randy spoke of the custom cabinets, bookshelves and other wood creations they made together.
Shirley used the word “active” to describe her husband. In addition to his full-time job, he found time to coach softball in Sunbury for roughly 15 years; acting as a positive role model for numerous children in Sunbury. He was also an amateur photographer and had a dark room in the basement to develop photos, long before digital photography. He and Shirley always had a large vegetable garden and kept dogs and horses for many years. Needless to say, John had plenty to keep him busy.
Ask John the most important aspect of his life, and he’d be sure to say his family. For many, family includes a spouse, their children, and grandchildren, but to John his extended family was an extremely important part of his life. In fact, the Richards Family Reunion celebrated its 82nd year this spring and due to his health John missed it for the first time. John was completely and utterly devoted to his family. The kids played multiple sports growing up and neither could recall him missing a single game! As the grandchildren came along, they began to play sports and engage in activities such as dramatic performances and in the arts, and John’s passion never subsided. He was always there for them on the sideline or in the audience.
He will be dearly missed by his wife Shirley; their two children and their spouses, John Randall Richards and his wife Jennifer of Lake Bluff, Illinois and Karla Jo Bishop and her husband Todd of Geneva, Ohio; three grandchildren, Jacqueline Lee Richards, Maxwell Carl Richards, and Mary Elizabeth Richards; four brothers, Delver (Betty), Alfred (Marva Lou), Glendon, Dave (Kay); and son-in-law Ernie Brewer; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Sonya Jean Brewer; three sisters, Evelyn Nelson, Darlene Lyons, Mary Edna Zin; and a brother in infancy.
Friends called on the family on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. at the DeVore-Snyder Funeral Home, 637 North State Route 61, Sunbury, Ohio 43074. Funeral services were held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Genoa Baptist Church, 7562 Lewis Center Road, Westerville, Ohio 43082 with Pastor Frank Carl officiating. Burial with full military honors provided by the Delaware County Veteran’s Association followed in Trenton Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Genoa Baptist Church.
The DeVore-Snyder Funeral Home of Sunbury was honored to serve John’s family. Special memories and condolences can be shared with them at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com