Prospective of a Daughter

As I think back on who my dad was, and what he meant to many, one thing that was prominent in his life was writing. He woke up before the sun most days, would have his quiet time, stretch, and would journal. Some of the most precious “things” I have from him are journals that he wrote. And as he wrote he often wrote these journals for others, my favorites being in the eyes of my brother at two and another of Presli around the same age. So because of this, I feel the best way to honor him is to write and share who he was through my eyes. I also encourage those of you who have stories to do the same.

My dad, Thomas Monroe Richards III, was born in East St. Louis, Illinois on December 17, 1950. He is the son of Mary Elizabeth and Reverend Thomas Monroe Richards Jr. He is the brother of Michael Richards (Darlene) of Centralia, Linda Daurgherty (Mick) of Dahlgren, and James Richards (Joann) of Goreville. Mike was the oldest, Linda was the girl, and Jim was the baby. And according to dad, that meant he took all the blame for the trouble they may have caused, even when someone accidentally shot Linda with a BB gun. The family lived in many small towns in Southern Illinois throughout the years of ministry. It was during these years he learned to ride, and love, horses.

He graduated from Pope County High School in 1968, and then began college at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he majored in special education. He worked as a janitor in the SIU Towers, where he also spent his time playing cards with some that became lifelong friends. He also enjoyed the time he spent working on barges, traveling up and down the Mississippi River. Later he began his career at Anna Mental Health Center, where he became the Union President.

He resided in Simpson, Illinois, where he raised horses and planted thousands of trees surrounding the Trigg Tower. He tricked my mom, Pamela Moreland, into a date by inviting her to ride horses at his house, where she thought there would be many other people. It worked, as they were married in October of 1976, and they had two children, my brother, Seth Richards, and myself. After a few years of hauling water while listening to country music, raising puppies, and bottle feeding calves and lambs, we then moved to Bethalto, Illinois when he became the facility director at Alton Mental Health and Developmental Center. He and Seth became students of Tang Soo Do, and enjoy taking these classes together. His fortieth birthday party was spent with friends, eating Chinese food and breaking wooden boards with bare hands. There were also many nights spent watching St Louis Cardinal baseball and Boston Celtics basketball. One Christmas even included a Celtics jersey, a tie for work, and about six cans of sour cream and onion Pringles.

He then transferred to Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna, Illinois, where he became the facility director. He loved the residents he worked for and the people he worked with. He came up with the phrase, “There is no health without mental health,” which is why he spent his career working for this population, and finding ways for them to live their fullest lives. He knew the residents by name, and would often pat them on the back, embrace them, and with a smile, ask about their day. They were his friends, and he wanted to make their world a better place.

He also loved time on the farm where he raised horses, enjoyed riding the old Ford tractor, and enjoyed the many trees. He loved nature and being outside. He treasured the canoeing trips with Seth and their partners in crime, even when they'd wake up from their tents to find their clothes frozen on the line. He was a lover of trees and could identify any tree in Southern Illinois with no hesitation. He was a vegetarian for much of his life, but helped to cook and clean frog legs when a friend and I decided it was a great idea to go frog gigging around our pond. In the evenings he could often be found sitting on the floor in front of the couch, watching a ballgame, and enjoying a good bowl of ice cream.

He was a fan of Saluki basketball, and when they made it to the Sweet Sixteen tournament, it was finally a good idea to get satellite TV. For many years he would buy season tickets, and he and my Grandpa Moreland would go to every game.

He was raised a PK (preacher's kid). We spent many years going to the Methodist church, but his heart truly grew in the Lord at the First Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Anna. He served God in many ways, became a member, and later became an elder. He traveled to Mexico on several mission trips, and enjoyed serving the Lord in Reynosa. But he also loved serving the Lord in his own community. He committed everything that he was to being a true disciple.

He became the father of Hanna Markones of Germany and Cinthya Guerra of Peru, when they each spent an exchange year with our family. Each of them became his daughters for life, even the time Hanna was being passed by other cars on the Autobahn and he thought she was driving too fast.

He was also the grandfather of Presli and Grayson Garner. Nothing made him smile like holding these two “bundles of joy”. They enjoyed their time together playing with dogs, reading about Pooh, taking walks, and chasing frogs. Poor Presli was blessed to have his eyesight, while Grayson Thomas carries his name (even though for years he thought he was named after Thomas the Train because Grandpa's name was Bobba). They both were blessed to know him, love him, and carry on many of his traits.

Many that didn't know my dad well, saw him as a serious man, but he was a man that loved the Lord and all His creations. He was a man of sweet spirit and compassion. He never judged, always showed love, and was full of empathy. And finally, he truly believed most people just needed more hugs in their lives.