Beverly Richards

MESA, ARIZ.—Beverly Jane Burrows Richards died peacefully June 28, 2007 at her home, surrounded by family, after a courageous battle with cancer.

She was born in Providence, R.I., February 8, 1926, the daughter of Anna Louisa Tomlinson of Groton, Conn. and Dr. Ernest Allen Burrows of North Attleboro, Mass. The Burrows family made their home in East Providence, R.I.

She graduated from Classical High School in Providence, and received her BA in Psychology from Brown University in 1946.

She married James Victor Richards in Baltimore, Md. June 11, 1948. They made their first home in Indiana, and subsequently lived and raised their three children in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. They also bred and raised Cocker Spaniels. They moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1983, where she remained until her move to Arizona in 2004.

She was an avid reader, accomplished weaver, and passionate supporter of classical music, and was politically active.

She was predeceased by her husband, Rev. James V. Richards, in Albuquerque, NM in 1993.

Survivors include a son, David E. Richards of Gardner, Mass.; and his children, Meg and Jordan Richards; a daughter, Jocelyn E. Richards of Randolph, and her children, Erika and Hayley Smith; a daughter, Deborah Richards-Giarrizzo of Gilbert, Ariz., her husband Jay Giarrizzo, and their children, Jackie and Jamie Giarrizzo.

She will be buried next to her husband at the Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, N.M. The family held a private memorial gathering July 1 at the home of Joseph and Emily Giarrizzo.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in support of clergy wives, for the purpose of degree or non-degree study.

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