Leon Kirby Richardson

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Nov. 13, 1932 – July 8, 2011

PORT NECHES, Texas — Leon Kirby Richardson, 78, of Nederland, Texas, died in her sleep Friday, July 8, 2011, at Cypress Nursing and Rehabilitation.

A gathering of friends and family will be from 4 to 5 p.m. today, with a memorial service to follow immediately, at Levingston Funeral Home Chapel in Port Neches, Texas with the Rev. Margaret Desmond officiating.

Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Young’s Funeral Home in Jonesville with the Rev. Clyde Weber officiating.

Visitation will be from 2 p.m. until service time Wednesday at the funeral home.

Leon was born Nov. 13, 1932, at her parent’s home on Black River, the daughter of Leon Kirby and Mary Alice Dayton Kirby. Leon was the eighth daughter of the clan known as the Kirby girls and thereby named after her father.

She earned a registered nursing degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, married Dr. O.J. Richardson and spent the majority of her adult life in Nederland raising her five children and becoming very active in her community.

Leon served as a member and president of the Nederland Independent School District and was appointed to a number of offices within the Republican Party both on the state and national levels. She was a member of the Trinity Presbyterian Church of Port Neches. Leon was an avid bridge player and will be dearly missed by not only her family, but all her dear friends with the Several Bridge Clubs of which she was a member.

She was preceded in death by her husband and six sisters.

Survivors include one sister, Alice Belle Zerby of Natchez; two daughters, Rose Coogan and husband, Noel, of Paris, France and Lora Watts and husband, Christopher, of Portland, Ore.; three sons, Charles Richardson and wife, Regena, of Wylie, Texas, Jay Richardson and wife, Debra, of Nederland and Joe Richardson and wife, Phyllis, of Rogers, Ark.; her cherished claimed children, Desiree Guidry of Nederland, Noelle Leveque of Paris and Raymond Houston Bridges of San Francisco; nine grandchildren, Courtney Rebert and husband, Clint, Jay Richardson Jr. and wife, Natalie, Lauren Long and husband, Steven, Adam Coogan, Kirby Richardson, Owen Coogan, Lorabelle Coogan, Shaylee Richardson and Joseph Richardson; five great-grandchildren, Camrynne Rebert, Bailey Turner, Ashlyn Long, Kenneth Richardson and Kohen Richardson; special love and caregivers, Willard and Elizabeth Baxley, Floyd and Francis Wall, Betty Wilson and Tammy Price.