05/20/2008

Robert Ingram Richards

May 18, 2008

OFDA received word this morning that Robert Ingram Richards, 83, of Columbus, Ohio, formerly of Salem, Ohio and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida died Sunday, May 18.

He was born on January 13, 1925 in Salem, Ohio to the late Lewis Samuel and Rebecca Ingram Richards.

He was a 1943 Graduate of Goshen High School, attended Mount Union College from 1945-1948, and graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science in 1949. He served as an aerial gunner in B-24s in the US Army - Air Force during World War Two. He was a former member of the Ohio Funeral Directors Association and Ohio Embalmers Association.

He was a licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer in Ohio and Florida. He started his embalming internship in 1949 to 1950 at Cassaday Turkle Funeral Home in Alliance, Ohio; an embalmer and funeral director in 1950 to 1952 at Hummel Funeral Home in Akron, Ohio; an embalmer and ambulance driver in 1952 to 1954 at Donald B. Johnson Funeral Home in Bedford, Ohio; a funeral director and embalmer in 1954 to 1956 at Fulton Funeral Home in Grafton, Ohio; a co-manager and director in 1956 to 1963 at Fairchild Funeral Home in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; a managing director in 1963 to 1965 at the Baird Case Funeral Home in Ft. Lauderdale; owner and director of the Richards Funeral Home in 1965 to 1972 in Ft. Lauderdale. During the seven years he owned the funeral home, he brought the volume of this home to over 70 % of the other funeral homes in the nation. He retired in the early 1990's as a commercial irrigation salesman in south Florida.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sarah Virginia Hanes Richards (who was originally from East Liverpool, Ohio,) a daughter Robin S. Richards, and a grandson Jonathan James Richards, all of Columbus, Ohio. He was the nephew of Herbert, Grace, Lola and Tom Richards of Nutwood Farm in Salem, Ohio.

Services will be held on Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 12:30 PM at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery with full military honors in Rittman, Ohio.

Arrangements were entrusted to the care of the Arbaugh-Pearce-Greenisen Funeral Home, Salem, Ohio. 330-332-4401.