Obituary for Louise Richardson Calvin
Funeral Services for Louise Richardson of Athens will be held at 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at the Hannigan Smith Funeral Home in Athens, Texas with Pastor Kerry Clark officiating.
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon our loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and sister, completed her earthly journey surrounded by her loving family.
Louise Richardson Calvin was born July 19, 1929 to Ivy & Polly Richardson in Mabank, Texas and joined family members in Heaven on April 14, 2019.
Growing up as a “child of the depression” she often talked about walking to school and her life on several farms in the Mabank area. One of her favorite memories was riding in the wagon with Ivy, hearing his stories and listening to him sing Darling Nellie Gray.
Louise graduated from Mabank High School in 1946 and remained close to many of her class-mates throughout the years, attending many class reunions and homecoming activities. Always a proponent of education she finished Draughn’s Business School in Dallas and later attended Hen-derson County Junior College and Stephen F. Austin University. She graduated from SFA in 1973 and began her Special Education teaching career in Athens and then in Eustace. Through words and example, Louise encouraged everyone around her, students, other teachers and her own children to embrace new opportunities and lifelong learning, always stressing the value of educa-tion, hard work and integrity. Louise loved to travel and she took trips to Hawaii, Norway and London with friends but some of her most memorable trips were with her grandchildren and Don-na as they traveled Texas each summer. She also enjoyed traveling to Bluegrass Festivals with her good friend Kenneth Bracey who preceded her in death in 2006.
Louise had a servant’s heart and volunteered in many organizations. She was always a room mother for her four children and there is absolutely no way to count the number of pans of brown-ies she made for school bake sales! She served as a long time 4-H Leader, was a member of the Henderson County Hospital Board for many years as well as serving on the Clint Murchison Li-brary Board in Athens. Her hobbies were reading, embroidery and quilting. She worked on an embroidery project of state birds and flowers while attending Bluegrass festivals. When the blocks were finished Donna set the quilt together and hand quilted it for her. It is a true family heirloom. She also made other quilts for family members and some were made with the help of her mother, Polly Richardson, who was a lifelong quilter and seamstress.
Although Louise enjoyed her travels and hobbies her greatest joy came from her family. She al-ways looked forward to having the family together and the highlight of all of the family gatherings were her Hot Rolls! Family members have her recipe and have tried to duplicate it but none of us have really been able to make them like she could!
Louise was preceded in death by her parents, her husband O.B. Calvin, Jr., a son Mike Junell and an infant daughter.
Those left to cherish her memory include her daughter and son-in-law Donna and Joe Rychlik of Caldwell; sons Larry and Mickey Junell of Quinlan, Ike and Laura Junell of Midlothian and a sis-ter Margaret Richardson of Palestine, Texas. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and many friends.
The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks to her wonderful caretaker, LaTasha Cumby, whose excellent care, compassion, friendship and love gave her strength and comfort. The family would also like to thank Dr. Karah Coker for her love and professionalism in treating our mother, to the first floor nurses at UT Health for the excellent care given to out mother while she was in the hospital and especially to the staff at Lakeland House for their devotion to her and for their love and support while she lived there.
A special loving thanks to friends Dixie Gage, Jeremy Fields and Vicki Bairfield for all of the Meals and Hugs on Wheels, Danny Johannes and Karen Chitwood for always being there to help and her friends at Central Church of Christ, especially Larry & Janice Merrifield, Sharon Fleming, Fredda Sparks, Gale Price, Dub & Eloise Moore and Kerry and Teri Clark for their prayers and visits.
Visitation for Louise will be held prior to the service from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Hannigan Smith Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Central Church of Christ, 1408 Cream Level Rd., Athens, Texas 75752 or to Easter Seals Foundation, 8505 Cross Park Drive Suite 120, Austin, Texas 78754 or to the charity of your choice.
For Mom: In life we loved your dearly; in death we will do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you, but you did not go alone, for a part of us went with you, the day God called you home.
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon our loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and sister, completed her earthly journey surrounded by her loving family.
Louise Richardson Calvin was born July 19, 1929 to Ivy & Polly Richardson in Mabank, Texas and joined family members in Heaven on April 14, 2019.
Growing up as a “child of the depression” she often talked about walking to school and her life on several farms in the Mabank area. One of her favorite memories was riding in the wagon with Ivy, hearing his stories and listening to him sing Darling Nellie Gray.
Louise graduated from Mabank High School in 1946 and remained close to many of her class-mates throughout the years, attending many class reunions and homecoming activities. Always a proponent of education she finished Draughn’s Business School in Dallas and later attended Hen-derson County Junior College and Stephen F. Austin University. She graduated from SFA in 1973 and began her Special Education teaching career in Athens and then in Eustace. Through words and example, Louise encouraged everyone around her, students, other teachers and her own children to embrace new opportunities and lifelong learning, always stressing the value of educa-tion, hard work and integrity. Louise loved to travel and she took trips to Hawaii, Norway and London with friends but some of her most memorable trips were with her grandchildren and Don-na as they traveled Texas each summer. She also enjoyed traveling to Bluegrass Festivals with her good friend Kenneth Bracey who preceded her in death in 2006.
Louise had a servant’s heart and volunteered in many organizations. She was always a room mother for her four children and there is absolutely no way to count the number of pans of brown-ies she made for school bake sales! She served as a long time 4-H Leader, was a member of the Henderson County Hospital Board for many years as well as serving on the Clint Murchison Li-brary Board in Athens. Her hobbies were reading, embroidery and quilting. She worked on an embroidery project of state birds and flowers while attending Bluegrass festivals. When the blocks were finished Donna set the quilt together and hand quilted it for her. It is a true family heirloom. She also made other quilts for family members and some were made with the help of her mother, Polly Richardson, who was a lifelong quilter and seamstress.
Although Louise enjoyed her travels and hobbies her greatest joy came from her family. She al-ways looked forward to having the family together and the highlight of all of the family gatherings were her Hot Rolls! Family members have her recipe and have tried to duplicate it but none of us have really been able to make them like she could!
Louise was preceded in death by her parents, her husband O.B. Calvin, Jr., a son Mike Junell and an infant daughter.
Those left to cherish her memory include her daughter and son-in-law Donna and Joe Rychlik of Caldwell; sons Larry and Mickey Junell of Quinlan, Ike and Laura Junell of Midlothian and a sis-ter Margaret Richardson of Palestine, Texas. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and many friends.
The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks to her wonderful caretaker, LaTasha Cumby, whose excellent care, compassion, friendship and love gave her strength and comfort. The family would also like to thank Dr. Karah Coker for her love and professionalism in treating our mother, to the first floor nurses at UT Health for the excellent care given to out mother while she was in the hospital and especially to the staff at Lakeland House for their devotion to her and for their love and support while she lived there.
A special loving thanks to friends Dixie Gage, Jeremy Fields and Vicki Bairfield for all of the Meals and Hugs on Wheels, Danny Johannes and Karen Chitwood for always being there to help and her friends at Central Church of Christ, especially Larry & Janice Merrifield, Sharon Fleming, Fredda Sparks, Gale Price, Dub & Eloise Moore and Kerry and Teri Clark for their prayers and visits.
Visitation for Louise will be held prior to the service from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Hannigan Smith Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Central Church of Christ, 1408 Cream Level Rd., Athens, Texas 75752 or to Easter Seals Foundation, 8505 Cross Park Drive Suite 120, Austin, Texas 78754 or to the charity of your choice.
For Mom: In life we loved your dearly; in death we will do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you, but you did not go alone, for a part of us went with you, the day God called you home.