Friends,

It has been a week since the passing of our dear mother, Barbara. We miss her more than words can describe and have been brainstorming the best ways to honor her life. Through our discussions, we realized that there is nothing she would want more than to ensure that her special needs son, our brother Geoffrey, continues to have quality care. This is why, in lieu of a memorial service or flowers, the Richards family (Barbara’s husband George, and daughters Jenni and Danica) ask that you consider donating through EverLoved. All funds received will be placed into a trust specifically for Geoffrey’s long-term housing, daily needs, and medical care so that he may continue to live a happy, healthy life.

A little backstory: Our mom, Barbara, set forth with her wealth of knowledge from nursing school to provide the best possible care for Geoffrey in a time when individuals with special needs were misunderstood. She and our father, George, have cared exclusively for Geoffrey throughout his almost 41 years of life (so far), but a time is soon approaching when Geoffrey will need to find an alternate long-term living environment. Hence our decision to create this memorial fund to ensure her wishes for his future become reality.

On this page, you can share memories and tidbits that come to mind about Barbara. I hope to hear your own stories of her life and that we can all connect over the ways she brought joy into the world.

I (Danica) also plan to share more about Geoffrey and his journey separately through a CaringBridge website (https://www.caringbridge.org/…) Please connect with me there to see how your donations impact his care over time.

We hope you'll find inspiration in the life our mother lived and the ways she gave selflessly to the world around her.

All our love,
Danica and Jenni (Barbara's Daughters and Geoffrey's Sisters)