Obituary of Doris P. Richardson

Doris P. Richardson recently of Utica and formerly of Kingsboro Towers and East Fulton St., Ext. Gloversville, passed on to her eternal reward on Tuesday, September 23 after a long illness. Doris was born in Utica, NY to George T. and Gertrude W. Porter on May 19, 1923 the second of two children sister, Irene J. Kaiser of Gloversville, who survives and attended Utica schools, graduating from Utica Free Academy in 1943. She continued her education at Canton Agricultural & Technical Institute currently SUNY-Canton graduating in 1944 with a degree in Dietary Science and then proceeded on to the first of her many positions as a Dietician at Highland Hospital in Rochester, NY. Following the end of WWII Doris was united in marriage with the love of her life, David Harold Richardson, at Bethany Methodist Church in Watertown, NY on December 22, 1945 They moved to Oswego, NY to enable Dave to complete his college studies and also to start their family son, Douglas J., born January 1947 who survives and daughter, Doreen M. born March 1948 who pre deceased Doris in August 1988. In 1949 their growing family moved to Rome, NY where Doris continued to work periodically in the Rome City Schools' cafeteria system until the untimely death of her beloved David on January 16, 1960 whereupon she commenced working full time as a Cafeteria Manager first in Rome for 6 years and them moving to Gloversville in 1966 to assume the role of Co-Cafeteria Manager/Dietician at the Fulton County Infirmary, retiring in 1988. While in Rome and later in Gloversville, Doris "adopted" over 100 kids All of which still to this day call her "MA" who performed in the two Drum & Bugle Corps of which both of her children were members. She was constantly inviting some of the disadvantaged kids to her home for the weekend then overcooking to the extreme all weekend so that she could make doggie bags for them to take home to their families, all the while saying that they were doing her a favor as all that food would not keep until next weekend . After her move to Gloversville she also found time to cater many weddings, bar-be-ques, picnics, etc., from a kitchen which was contained in the back of one of her numerous station wagons and also cater many, many functions and banquets at her beloved First Methodist Church on Church St. in Gloversville of which she was a member. Following her first attempt at retirement she was recalled back to the work force to serve as church secretary at First Methodist with additional duties as assistant to Rev. Richard Reynolds in the operation of "Rev's Tours" that cemented a great friendship that continued long after Rev. Reynolds' posting to another church and her second and last attempt at retirement. For all of Doris' life the two things she cherished most were her family and friends and cooking. She used any and all excuses to combine both of these whenever she could, i.e. "It's Tuesday… let's have a party". Doris and her caring personality will be greatly missed by her sister, Irene Kaiser, Gloversville; son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Evie Richardson, Utica; daughter-in-law and partner, Patricia Richardson and Roger Schulze, Utica; beloved nephew, Alan Kaiser, Gloversville; beloved niece, Linda Furman, Schenectady; grandchildren Tracie, Cortland, NY, Marc, Dolgeville, NY, Dawn, Merrimack, NH, Debbie, Worcester, MA, Caitlyn, Blossvale, NY; cherished great-grand children: Jenna and Joey Esposito, Cortland, Abby, Lucy and Sadie Cote, Merrimack, NH and two more that Doris just recently learned will be arriving in early 2010 to Marc and his partner Rene, Dolgeville, NY and Caitlyn and her partner Brendon, Blossvale, NY. Also fondly remembered by Doris were the other six cousins and their families who along with her and her sister Irene were known as the "Wilmshurst 8" Catherine, Charlotte and Walter Wilmshurst, Kenneth Daniels, Betty and Mary Louise Earle. Also surviving are very special friends Rev. Richard Reynolds, Altamont, NY, Barbara and Harold Funk, Gloversville and Ed and Estelle Rapke, Ava, NY. The family would like to extend our most heartfelt thanks to Dr. Amy Gorczynski and also to the staffs of the St. Luke's Home and St. Luke's Hospital in Utica for the skill and compassion given to Doris over the last few months. Additionally to the entire congregation of the Edinburg United Methodist Church, which welcomed Doris as a member several years ago, for all the prayers, cards and telephone calls to Doris not only during her recent illness but from the very first day of her becoming a member of your congregation. She truly loved you all. Thank You. The family will receive relatives and friends from 4 to 7 pm Monday, September 28 at Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home, 51 Fremont Street, Gloversville where a funeral service will take place Tuesday at 10:30 am. Interment will take place at Rome Cemetery in Rome, NY. Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 260 Osborne Road, Loudonville, NY 12211.