Charles Edward Richards' Obituary
Born in Bennettsville, SC, and raised in Shreveport, LA, Charles Edward Richards passed away in Covington, LA, at age 98. A resident of New Orleans for most of his adult life, he resided for the past six years at Christwood Retirement Community in Covington. There he met and married his beloved second wife, Marie Elise Hebert Sims.
Richards is survived by his three children from his marriage to his beloved first wife, Myra Tincie Long of Liberty, SC, who passed away in 1976: Charles E. Richards, Jr. (spouse Aggie), Myra Grace “Peggy” Richards Brown (spouse Laurence Arend), and Mary Patricia “Patsy” Richards Taylor (spouse Wally). He is also survived by 10 adoring grandchildren: Charles E. Richards III, Elizabeth “Beth” Richards Schott, Lauren Andry Kimel, Erin McMurray Brown, Megan Duffy Brown, Leonard Isacks, Fletcher Isacks, Jonathan Arend, Rebecca Arend, and Paul Taylor. Richards is also survived by his step-daughter Helen Sims Miller, her husband Ralph (“Skip”), and her two children John Shelton and Lillian Shelton Wood.
Richards was commissioned in 1942 as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served in the Army Air Corps in the European theater during World War II. At the time of his discharge from the military in 1946, he held the rank of Major.
Prior to his military service, Richards was a newspaperman. Starting out as a cub reporter, he became assistant city editor for The New Orleans Item and later worked as an editor for the Chicago Sun. Over the years, Richards worked in various capacities for many political campaigns in Louisiana. He was public relations director for reform candidate Sam Jones’ successful campaign for governor in 1940.
After W.W. II, Richards attended Tulane University Law School on the G.I. Bill, graduating in 1948. He first practiced law in partnership with his good friend and law school classmate Billy Provensal. Later he formed a law partnership with G. Harrison Scott and, afterwards, with the late J. Robert Hoepffner. Richards’ former legal secretary, Sandra Heigle, and her husband Paul remained close friends of Richards for the balance of his life.
In 1960 Richards served as attorney for the Committee for Public Education, a group of parents that brought suit to keep public schools in New Orleans open at a time when officials were attempting to close them rather than abide by a court order to de-segregate. Richards successfully argued their case in federal district court.
Richards was a member of St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, where for many years he taught Sunday School and served as Deacon.
After retirement from his law practice at age 71, Richards began a period of world travel, which included visits to five continents and extended stays in Cornwall, England, and the Vendée region of France. A life-long learner, Richards was well read in a variety of fields. Fluent in several Romance languages, he later studied Greek and, at age 90, Mandarin Chinese. He was an enthusiast of cross-word puzzles and an accomplished bridge player. Often sought as a toastmaster in his younger days, Richards had a sense of humor that was legendary. He never ceased to embrace life as an adventure.
A private service was held. Donations in memory of Charles Edward Richards may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Shriners Hospital for Children, or Paralyzed Veterans of America.
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