Obituary of Christine Richards

RICHARDS, Christine, age 97, died peacefully on May 18, 2008 in Upper Saddle River, N.J. Born on the Fourth of July, 1910 to Charles and Lillie Parker in rural Arkansas, she was a member of the first graduating class (1928) of historic Central High School in Little Rock. In 1940, she moved to Washington, DC for a 3 month temporary government position and ended up staying for over 54 years. She married her husband, John Richards in 1944 and their only child, Christine, was born 3 years later. Christine and John continued to live in the Washington area until his death in 1989. A few years later, diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, she returned to Little Rock to live near her sister, Nina Brown. Always a fighter, she conquered that disease (several times) and enjoyed life with her sister as they traveled to casinos, went on a cruise and made many other trips. But in 2005, she decided that it was time to move north to be by her daughter and her family and moved to Brighton Gardens Assisted Living in Upper Saddle River where she was lovingly cared for by several caregivers and her family gives thanks to them, especially Lauverne, Daphne, Sandra and all the other "angels" as well as Valley Hospice. For most of her adult life, Christine was a homemaker but she had many diverse interests - gardening, painting, reading, raising poodles, and attending the theater. She even tackled the computer in her later years. But she never learned how to drive which was not a problem - she had so many friends and they were always glad to give her a ride! She is survived by her daughter, Christine and her son-in-law Larry Kyse of Wyckoff, grandchildren Julie Kyse of Miami, Florida, Andrew Kyse of Hilton Head, SC., Timothy Kyse of Clifton, N.J., Daniel Kyse of Hackensack, N.J., June Griest of Shelbyville, Kentucky, and Mary Cassle of Riverside, California as well as 3 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. Also surviving is her sister, Nina Brown of Rogers, Ark. and brother, Charles Parker of Aleda, Texas. She was pre-deceased by her husband John L. Richards Jr and her stepson, John L. Richards III. Friends may visit the family on Tuesday, 2-4 and 7-9 PM at Vander Plaat Funeral Home, 257 Godwin Ave.Wyckoff (www.vpfh.com). Funeral Service is Wednesday, 11:00 AM at St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church,169 Fairmount Ave., Ridgewood. Interment will be in Cheltenham Veteran's Cemetery, Cheltenham, MD. Memorial Contributions made to the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge Inc., 2 Shelter Lane, Oakland, NJ 07436 or Tomorrows Children's Fund. DON IMUS - WFAN Pediatric Center, Hackensack University Medical Center, 30 Prospect Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601.