Published: July 05, 2008 09:05 pm            

Margaret Ellen Richardson

Margaret Ellen Richardson, beloved mother, daughter, grandmother and friend passed away peacefully in her home Thursday, July 3, 2008, with her daughter at her side. She was born Oct. 25, 1931 in Valdosta, Ga., to Leroy Brown and Margaret I. Touchton Brown. Margaret loved children and teaching was one of her many gifts. She worked for Vigo County School Corporation as a teacher, counselor, attendance officer and children’s advocate for 27 years. She was nominated teacher of the year twice and was awarded attendance officer of the year for the state of Indiana. She worked diligently with a taskforce to prevent child abuse during her years with the school corporation and had a special love for all of her students, but especially the wilted child.

Survivors include her son, Ronald F. Richardson and his wife Anne of Terre Haute; one daughter, Barbara E. (Richardson) and her husband Darrell of Rockville; three grandsons, Derek L. Martin and Dustin R. Martin of Crawfordsville and Steven L. Richardson of Terre Haute; sister-in-law and good friend, Betty Ann Richardson of Terre Haute and sister-in-law, Nita Brown of Valdosta; three great-grandchildren, Rachael, Dylan and Seth of Crawfordsville; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers, Lee Roy Brown and Clyde Brown

She loved to travel and study genealogy and was a member of the Wabash Valley Genealogical Society and the Huxford (Georgia) Genealogical Society. She also was a member of the Wabash Valley Scottish Society, The Colonial Dames and Fort Harrison Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Alpha Delta Kappa, Homemakers Extension Club, Twelve Points chapter of Eastern Star and a member of Badoura Temple 23 Daughters of the Nile. After her retirement, she worked as a volunteer at Billie Creek Village in Rockville, where she demonstrated and made lye soap and candle making. She enjoyed talking with the children and teaching everyone who came through Billie Creek about the history of the village and how to make the soap and candles. Her favorite time of working there was during the annual School Days at Billie Creek, when children from school corporations everywhere in the state came for field trips. She also helped to raise funds to save the Governor’s house located in Billie Creek. She wrote and published a teaching manual to assist new school counselors in learning how to approach difficult problems that children present within their offices.

Visitation is 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Monday in Roselawn Funeral Home, 7500 N. Clinton Street, North Terre Haute, followed by services at 3:30 p.m. in North Terre Haute. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ALS Association.

        

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