A funeral service for 72 year old Mrs. Mary L. Richards will be held Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at the Seymour Funeral Home in Potsdam with Msgr. Robert Aucoin officiating. A spring burial will be in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Potsdam. Friends may call at the Seymour Funeral Home in Potsdam on Wednesday afternoon and evening from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
If friends desire memorial contributions may be made to the Canton-Potsdam Hospital Navigational Program for Cancer c/o Jackie Dow, 50 Leroy Street, Potsdam, NY 13676 in memory of Mary and Ellen Richards.
Survivors include Mary’s husband Edison “Jr.” Richards of Potsdam; sons Phillip Richards of W. Stockholm, Terry Richards of Liverpool, and Marshall and his wife Sherri Richards of Potsdam; and a daughter, JoAnn Patenaude of Potsdam and her partner Terry LaRue of Bucks Bridge; two sisters, Mrs. Agnes Bonno of W. Potsdam, and Mrs. Virginia Peters of Potsdam; seven grandchildren, Ted Richards and his companion Christal Nyles, Christopher Richards and his companion Jessica Fraser, Matthew (and his wife Heather) Richards, Mrs. Jared (Jacklyn) Remington, Samantha Patenaude, Brittany Patenaude and her companion Dan Cibelli and Chelsea Richards and her companion Jeremie Keleher; and three great-granddaughters.
Mary was predeceased by an infant son, Timothy and her daughter in law Ellen Richards.
Mary was born in the Town of Potsdam on April 12, 1939 the daughter of Howard M. and Helen H. (Gary) Butterfield. She wed Edison E. Richards on April 27, 1957 at St. Mary’s Church in Potsdam. Mary was a member of St. Mary’s Parish in Potsdam.
She enjoyed traveling on senior citizen excursions and was active in both the Debra Drive and Parishville Hilltoppers Senior Citizens groups. Prior to her retirement she had been a cook and baker for the PACES Food Service at SUNY Potsdam College for over 30 years.
Arrangements are with Seymour Funeral Home, Potsdam.
