Obituary of John M. Richardson

John M. Richardson, M.D., 88, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on April 29, 2019.John Richardson was born in Fort Worth, Texas on November 19, 1930 to Dr. James Joseph Richardson and Margaret Tidwell Richardson. John was a 1948 graduate of R. L. Paschal High School where he managed the basketball team under Charlie Turner. There he met his future wife, Joan Webb. While serving in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman, John discovered his love of medicine. After his Naval service, John graduated from Texas Wesleyan College, earned his medical degree from the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Branch, and completed his pediatric residency at the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. Dr. Richardson practiced pediatric medicine in Fort Worth for over 40 years.John served as the medical director for many organizations, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Lena Pope Home, and St. Andrew’s Catholic School. He served on the Board of Directors of Cook Children’s Medical Center, the Fort Worth Zoo Association, the Alliance for Children, the Gill Children’s Services, and the Catholic Charities Diocese of Fort Worth. John was honored for his humanitarian and medical services, receiving the Gold Headed Cane Award and the Humanitarian Award from the Tarrant County Medical Society, the Golden Deeds Award, Fort Worth’s Outstanding Citizen from the Exchange Club, and the Congressional Angels in Adoption Award.Dr. Richardson was the pediatrician for the Edna Gladney Home for 29 years, participating in approximately 9,000 adoptions. He co-founded the WARM Place, a haven for children and their families after the death of a loved one, which has served over 38,000 children and families. He also initiated the Texas Safe Haven Law for abandoned babies, known as the Baby Moses Project, the first of its kind in the nation. Safe Haven laws have saved the lives of over 4,000 children. He co-founded the Key School for children with learning differences and was the first male docent of the Amon Carter Museum.John’s personal passion was the art and history of the American Southwest, specifically, works on paper and folk art. His family will always remember his passion for baseball, his quick wit, and his generous and genuine spirit. Through discerning conversations with close friends and his relationship to the Catholic Church, John taught others to be humble and kind.John is survived by his children Kathy Richardson, Marian Richardson, John Richardson, Jr. and wife, Carol, and Jane Richardson and wife, Tammy; grandchildren: Elizabeth Peterson and husband, Daniel, Andrew Palmer and wife, Lisa, Philip Palmer, Gregory Daiker, and wife, Annie, Samuel Daiker, Abigail Daiker, Harry Daiker, Jack Daiker, Caroline Richardson, Marshall Richardson, Natalie Richardson, Matthew Floyd and great grandchildren, Charlie Joann, Archer, Cedar, Emerson, Meadow, Felix, and Arthur. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joan, and his two sisters, Mary Helen and Peggy, and three brothers, Joe, Dick, and Bob.