James M. Richmond, 88, went to be with the Lord on the morning of Sunday, June 14th at the local hospital in the company of his youngest son. He is the much loved husband of Gertrude (Trudy) Rhodes Richmond. They had just recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on May 7th.
Jim was born in Putnam, CT on April 19, 1932, the 4th son of Helen Thatcher Richmond and Thomas H.M. Richmond. He attended Putnam High School and the local technical school and received his diploma after 4 years in the Air Force during the Korean War, stationed in Japan.
For his entire career Jim worked in Instrumentation Calibration at such companies as Belding-Heminway and Dow Chemical. He retired after 14 years of service at the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant in December 1988.
A lifetime lover of music, Jim met Trudy while playing drums in the Woodstock (CT) Cornet Band. So, you could say they met at Woodstock. Later in life he gave up the drums to play harmonica and the organ. Besides music, Jim was an avid woodworker and in fact built the family home in Preston, CT. He had a love for designing and building solutions to perceived shortcomings in poorly designed products. He and Trudy loved to travel and socialize with friends over a game of dominoes, marbles or gin rummy and checkers with his grandkids. He was an accomplished dancer and took lessons with Trudy to keep their skills sharp.
He will be greatly missed by his three children, David and wife Wilma of Virginia, Pam Spoonhour and husband Irv of Pennsylvania, and Mark and wife Kim of Florida. His eight grandchildren fondly remember his attention, game playing and corny jokes. He is also survived by his oldest brother Richard of Pomfret, CT and many nephews and nieces.
There will be a small, socially distanced memorial service at First Baptist Church at The Villages on Saturday, June 20th at 10:00 am with eventual interment at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.
