Obituary for Edward T. Richards, Jr.
Edward (Ted) T. Richards, Jr (89) formerly of Barrington and more recently, the Veterans Home in Bristol, passed away peacefully after a brief illness at the VA Hospital in Providence on July 5, 2019. Ted was born on Nov. 4, 1929 in Cambridge, MA, son of Edward Thayer Richards and Grace Beaumont Richards. He graduated from Moses Brown School in 1947; Brown University in 1951 and Harvard Business School in 1956. In 1953, he married Ann Cleveland in Honolulu, HI whom he’d met while serving as a Lieutenant JG on the USS Chelvalier during the Korean War from 1951-1954. He and Ann settled back in New England, had four children, and were married for 56 years until her death in 2010.
Ted spent most of his career in the jewelry business; culminating with the founding of his own jewelry company, Richards & Sargent. Ted was always an “idea man” who loved the process of creating products that commemorated special events or designing logo jewelry items for sports fans. In 1961 he created the Inaugural Committee Medallion for President John F Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon Johnson, along with designing the favors for the various Inaugural Balls. He did the same for the Johnson/Humphrey Inaugural in 1965. He was instrumental in designing the official medallions for the Centennial Commemorations of the battles and significant events of the Civil War. Over the years he developed Service Award Programs for many of the top Fortune 500 companies. His company held the licenses for the design and creation of retail jewelry for all the teams of the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL which afforded the opportunity to attend 13 Super Bowls.
He is past president of the Mechanical Bank Collectors of America and a founding member of the Antique Toy Collectors of America. For twenty years he produced limited editions of cast iron toys and banks (many of which have become collectors’ items) under the brand name, Utexiqual.
In 1994 Ted and Ann retired to Maine where he worked as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, as well as becoming a charter member of the Breakwater Daybreak Rotary Club of South Portland. Over the years Ted and Ann were members of RI Country Club, The Candlewood Lake Club in New Milford, CT and Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth, ME. After Ann’s death Ted moved back to RI where he lived at Brookdale Saknonnet Bay in Tiverton, RI and later the RI Veterans Home in Bristol, RI.
His move to the RI Veterans Home a year ago was a blessing in so many ways. He made great friends, most especially Al and Bill, who were his daily dining buddies; and the staff at this beautiful facility was incredibly attentive and caring. Ted’s family would like to extend our appreciation to two special people who made it a point to visit and call him often: his dear friend, Emma Ricketson, and his lifelong friend, Franny Sargent, both of whom were always a source of special joy. Ted was well loved and his was a life well lived.
He is lovingly remembered by his four children: Katharine Johnson (Ken) of Cape Elizabeth, ME ; Heidi Leighton (Mark) of Framingham, MA; Edward (Chip) Richards (Barbara Dupre) of Riverside, RI and Daniel Richards (Nan) of Westport, CT along with his eight grandchildren and five nieces and nephews.
His funeral is scheduled for Friday July 12 at 11:00 AM in the Redwood Chapel at Swan Point Cemetery, 585 Blackstone Blvd., Providence. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory to the RI Veterans Home, 480 Metacom Ave., Bristol, RI 02809 would be appreciated.
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Ted spent most of his career in the jewelry business; culminating with the founding of his own jewelry company, Richards & Sargent. Ted was always an “idea man” who loved the process of creating products that commemorated special events or designing logo jewelry items for sports fans. In 1961 he created the Inaugural Committee Medallion for President John F Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon Johnson, along with designing the favors for the various Inaugural Balls. He did the same for the Johnson/Humphrey Inaugural in 1965. He was instrumental in designing the official medallions for the Centennial Commemorations of the battles and significant events of the Civil War. Over the years he developed Service Award Programs for many of the top Fortune 500 companies. His company held the licenses for the design and creation of retail jewelry for all the teams of the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL which afforded the opportunity to attend 13 Super Bowls.
He is past president of the Mechanical Bank Collectors of America and a founding member of the Antique Toy Collectors of America. For twenty years he produced limited editions of cast iron toys and banks (many of which have become collectors’ items) under the brand name, Utexiqual.
In 1994 Ted and Ann retired to Maine where he worked as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, as well as becoming a charter member of the Breakwater Daybreak Rotary Club of South Portland. Over the years Ted and Ann were members of RI Country Club, The Candlewood Lake Club in New Milford, CT and Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth, ME. After Ann’s death Ted moved back to RI where he lived at Brookdale Saknonnet Bay in Tiverton, RI and later the RI Veterans Home in Bristol, RI.
His move to the RI Veterans Home a year ago was a blessing in so many ways. He made great friends, most especially Al and Bill, who were his daily dining buddies; and the staff at this beautiful facility was incredibly attentive and caring. Ted’s family would like to extend our appreciation to two special people who made it a point to visit and call him often: his dear friend, Emma Ricketson, and his lifelong friend, Franny Sargent, both of whom were always a source of special joy. Ted was well loved and his was a life well lived.
He is lovingly remembered by his four children: Katharine Johnson (Ken) of Cape Elizabeth, ME ; Heidi Leighton (Mark) of Framingham, MA; Edward (Chip) Richards (Barbara Dupre) of Riverside, RI and Daniel Richards (Nan) of Westport, CT along with his eight grandchildren and five nieces and nephews.
His funeral is scheduled for Friday July 12 at 11:00 AM in the Redwood Chapel at Swan Point Cemetery, 585 Blackstone Blvd., Providence. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory to the RI Veterans Home, 480 Metacom Ave., Bristol, RI 02809 would be appreciated.
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