Flora Richardson

6/7/1922 — 11/19/2014

Service Date: 11/29/2014

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Flora Richardson passed away Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, after 92 years of leaving a legacy of caring for others and sharing a positive outlook on life with family and friends.

The youngest in a family of eight, Flora was born June 7, 1922, in Wessington Springs, S.D., to Archibald and Grace Perkins Gourley Sr. The family lived on a large farm, but like so many others, lost it because of the dust bowl and Depression. Eventually the family moved to Kilarney Lake across from Lane in northern Idaho. A tragic accident left the four youngest children to fend for themselves. A kind family in Wallace took the children in so that they would not be separated from their remaining family members. The eldest of the children found work in a mine in the Silver Valley, enabling the children to stay together. Flora and her siblings attended school at Wallace.

Flora graduated from Wallace High School in May 1940 and started nurses training that fall at St. Ignatius Hospital in Colfax, and graduated three years later. It was in Colfax that Flora met the love of her life, Tom Richardson. They were married in the afternoon of May 21, 1943, and that night Flora graduated from nurses training. There was no time for a honeymoon, as Tom left the next day to be shipped overseas to fight in the European theater during World War II.

After graduation from nurses training, Flora worked at a children's hospital in Seattle. When Tom came home after the war they made their first home in Pullman. They moved to Spokane to run a service station with Tom's brother-in-law. It was there that their first two children, Theresa and Donald, were born. Tom and Flora finally made their home in Worley, Idaho, and had their last child, Gerald.

Flora worked in a nursing home at Fairfield, Wash., and later as a public health nurse in Benewah County. She loved being able to help others not only through her work as a nurse, but also in her time away from the profession.

Flora and Tom were instrumental in the creation of the ambulance service in Worley. They were also passionate about helping people's ailments through different massage techniques, helping friends and family out of their own home. Flora was an active member of the Plummer American Legion Auxiliary, Worley Grange and the Worley Community Church throughout her time in Worley.

Eventually, Tom and Flora retired so that they could enjoy traveling, visiting family, old Army buddies and seeing many national parks both in the United States and Canada. Several years after Tom's passing in 2000, Flora moved to Lewiston to be closer to her sons. Flora was the last living member of her Gourley family and her Richardson in-laws.

Flora's surviving family members include her daughter, Theresa Richardson of Post Falls; sons, Don and wife Christie of Lewiston, Jerry and wife Janet of Cottonwood; as well as her grandchildren, Lynette Richardson of Roy, Wash., Clay and wife Tammy of Mexico, Melanie Richardson of Genesee, Alex of Cottonwood; eight great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Someone once asked Flora if she was going to write her obituary. She hadn't thought about it, but her mother-in-law had done so. So why not, I know more about myself than others do.

I came when the good Lord sent me and I tried to do as I was directed. Sometimes I have failed miserably, but you can't say I didn't try.

I would just go back and try again and really it usually worked better the second time. All the time the Lord was there urging me on, he made such a beautiful world for us to live in, such glorious sunrises and sunsets. There are also beautiful clouds floating about and sometimes even beautiful, if not just chilly snow storms and beautiful rains to clean our air.

He gave me work, no, not work, activities to do, mostly to help someone or something to help someone who needed help. I could always find someone who needed help. After all, isn't that why we are here, to help someone in need and thank him for that help. I won't say that I sometimes wondered why. But as I'd look back, I could see that it needed to happen.

With God, there is always a reason, but it's not ours to ask why.

I've loved my life and those I've lived with and for, and they have been wonderful, thoughtful, loving and kind. I can thank my God for all of it, for it was his design.

Jesus gave me one commandment, "Love one another." Beautiful, isn't it? I love you all, and thanks for being part of my life. See you and the family preceding me in heaven.

A celebration of life for Flora will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Tammany View Baptist Church in the Lewiston Orchards, and at 10 a.m. Nov. 29 at the Worley Community Church in Worley.

Memorials in Flora's name may be made to either of the aforementioned churches.

Burial will be at a later date.