Mary Elizabeth Johnson Richards died on April 1, 2017, in Abingdon, Virginia, following a lengthy illness. Mary was 86.

Mary was born on June 2, 1930, in Wise, Virginia, to Lotus and Mary Dell Johnson. After attending Castlewood public schools and graduating from high school at the age of 16, Mary attended nursing school at Johnson Memorial Hospital in Abingdon, Virginia, and Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. She worked as a nurse at Johnston Memorial Hospital.

Mary was devoted to her faith and her church. For many years she was a member of Spring Creek Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday school and served as a deacon and an elder. In later years she and her beloved husband, Bill, attended Greendale Chapel.

While raising her family, Mary served as a Cub Scout den mother, and Mary and Bill spent many fun-filled hours watching their two sons play sports of every kind – football, basketball, baseball – you name it – they were at the games, cheering them on. Mary was also a great cook and a very talented seamstress and quilter. She would share fabric and tips and enjoyed meeting with friends to work on a quilt. She and Bill truly enjoyed sharing good times at the farm with their grandchildren and other family members.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, William (Bill) Marion Richards, Jr.; her parents; her sisters, Patsy Johnson and Peggy Johnson Selfe; her sister-in-law, Elizabeth Johnson; and her brother-in-law, Earl G. Selfe. Mary is survived by her two sons, William (Bill) M. Richards, III (Becky) of Winchester, Kentucky, and Daniel H. Richards (Meg) of Durham, North Carolina. She is also survived by her three grandchildren, Katie Richards of Nashville, Tennessee, Clark Richards (Jordan) of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Emily Richards of Dallas, Texas; her two step grandsons, Brian Hunstad (Kelly) of Charleston, South Carolina, and Chad Hunstad of Charlotte, North Carolina; her brother, Rudolph Johnson of Abingdon, Virginia; her beloved and devoted niece, Bernadette Garrett (John) of Abingdon, Virginia; and several nephews and cousins.

Funeral services for Mary will be conducted at 12pm, Friday, April 7, 2017 in the Frost Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Jerry Eggers officiating. Burial will follow in the Knollkreg Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the Frost Funeral Home on Friday, April 7, 2017 from 11am to 11:45am.

Suggestions for memorial gifts include Greendale Chapel, P.O. Box 1314, Abingdon, Virginia, 24212 and Spring Creek Presbyterian Church, 19328 Spring Creek Rd., Abingdon, Virginia, 24211.

Those wishing to express sympathy online to the family of Mary Richards may do so at www.frostfuneralhome.com.