Vivian Jones Richardson

VIVIAN JONES RICHARDSON, 102 Vivian Jones Richardson joined her family in heaven on March 25, 2013. She was born on March 20, 1911 in Enon, Louisiana. Visitation will be held from 9:00 until 11:00 on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at Enon Baptist Church, with the service to follow at 11:00. She will be buried beside her husband in the church cemetery. The service will be conducted by Reverend Pete Williams and Reverend Jeremy Ingram, Interim Pastor of Enon Baptist Church. Pall Bearers for the service will be some of her great –nephews Kevin, Kasey, and Kody Jones, Jeremy Richardson, Brent and Kyle Jones and Frankie Case. Mrs. Richardson was preceded in death by her husband of more than 50 years, Odell; her parents Amazon Mizell Jones and Lorah Jones; her four younger siblings Varnel, Maxine, Voleska and Kyle Jones. She is survived by several nieces and nephews, who love her dearly. They are Pam Penny, Bill Armstrong, Phyllis Panos, Frank Case (deceased), Sandra Nelson, Andy Case, Lionel Jones, Kaylor Jones, Winola Holliday and Kyle Karson Jones (deceased), Joe Richardson, Tammy Richardson, and Pat Denman. Many other friend and relatives from the Enon area mourn her loss. She was “Aunt Vivian” to many. In her 102 years, she lived through many changes in her rural community and in the world. Her life began on her parents’ small farm before cars, electricity, or even indoor plumbing came to Washington Parish. Through the years, she has passed on so many family “stories” of the hard work and joys of her growing-up years. One of the most endearing is her remembrance of the end of World War I. There was a terrible flu epidemic in 1918, and it touched her family. Her mother was just recovering from a bout with the illness, when the family learned that her Mizell grandparents in Rio (near Bogalusa) were suffering, also. Vivian (age 7) and her younger brother were put into the wagon (pulled by two mules) by their parents, and they made the journey to help care for the family. When they arrived, the house was filled with sick relatives and those trying to cook and care for them. One Mizell cousin had already died from the flu in the house, and others were very ill. “Mama” was put to bed on a pallet in the dining room and “Papa” went to work waiting on the sick. A few days later Vivian and her little brother were playing in Grandpa’s wagon just outside the back door of the kitchen, when they heard gunshots. The frightened children ran inside. They had heard the adults talking about the war, and they thought the war had come to them! The adults assured them they were safe and told them that people were actually celebrating the end of the war. Not long after, all the Mizell family recovered from the flu and Vivian’s family returned to their farm in Enon. Mrs. Richardson finished school there at Enon and attended Southeastern Louisiana College in Hammond. (She was recently recognized as SLU’s oldest graduate.) She began teaching in 1936 and taught mostly second grade for the next 33 years, there in Enon. When she retired, she taught at the new Bowling Green School in Franklinton for five years, from 1969 until 1975, when she retired again. She loved working with children, and often taught them at church, Boy Scouts, Vacation Bible School, etc. In 1938 she married Odell Richardson, also from Enon, on Christmas Day. They moved into a house about two miles from her parents’ home, where she continued to live her entire life. They never raised any children of their own, so they just loved all their nieces and nephews and treated them as their own children. Mrs. Vivian was always very active in Enon Baptist Church and served her Lord in many capacities there and in the community. She was a great cook, and her family and friends enjoyed many meals and fellowship around her table. Though she was known as a strict teacher, she was always a kind, soft-spoken, gentle soul to her family. She and “Uncle Odell” created many fond memories for her extended family, as well as many others in the Enon Community. She will be greatly missed by her nieces and nephews, who have remained close because of the common bond of their beloved “Aunt Vivian”. Obituaries can be viewed online at www.crainfh.com

Vivian Jones Richardson

March 20, 1911 - March 25, 2013

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Vivian Jones Richardson

March 20, 1911 - March 25, 2013

365 Days of Grief Support

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

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