A beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, Betty Anne McCutchon Richarde, 85, passed away in the wee hours of the morning on February 19, 2024.

Born in Beaumont, TX on July 11, 1938, Betty, affectionately known as Betty Anne to her family, spent much of her early life moving from place to place, and she would often recount the challenges of attending fourteen different schools in twelve years.  After graduating from East Jefferson High School in Metairie, LA, Betty then settled into four years of academic life at Mississippi Southern College in Hattiesburg, MS.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, Betty began her 33 year teaching career with stops in Pensacola, Houston, and Jacksonville.  While attending a party one night, Betty met her future husband, naval aviator Henry Morgan Richarde, Jr.  A whirlwind courtship followed, and the happy couple married in 1967 and subsequently moved to Monterey, CA so that Hank could attend Naval Postgraduate School.

Over the next few years, Betty and Henry moved to Georgia and Florida before settling in Pascagoula, MS.  Finally having the opportunity to stay in one place, Betty raised her children, Cathy and Stephen, and later welcomed four grandchildren to the family.  Betty was the heart of the household, showering her children with love and instilling in them the values of hard work and caring for others.

A talented storyteller, Betty brought book characters to life as she entertained her children every night before bedtime.  She served as the team mother for countless baseball and soccer teams, and her free time was often spent at the ball fields watching her children play sports.  When the umpire's strike zone was unreasonably tight, Betty was known to maintain a silent vigil behind the fence at home plate, immediately improving her son's success rate.

Family life often included game nights in which Betty had to maintain the voice of reason for the stubborn Richardes.  She also loved holidays, and her prodigious use of tape challenged her children to become better problem solvers while also allowing Betty the time needed to savor watching each child open the gifts she had painstakingly selected.  When the grandchildren came along, Betty was a frequent visitor, often arranging special outings to movie theaters, parks, children's museums, bowling alleys, or fun centers.  Travel became a staple of school vacation time, as the family visited relatives, relaxed on the beach, cruised to beautiful places, or braved the crowds in popular amusement parks.

A gifted elementary teacher, Betty was adored by her students and their families.  She instilled a love of reading in her pupils and imparted valuable life skills ranging from addition to learning the importance or sharing.  As a colleague, Betty was invaluable.  Her beautiful handwriting meant that she was often called upon to take notes or create displays.  She and her friend, Cheryl, were partners in crime as they planned various holiday programs and engaging activities for their students.  Betty also became well known for the poems she crafted for special occasions in her classroom, and when it came time for her colleagues to retire from the profession, Betty honored each one with an original acrostic poem.

In loving memory of Betty, her family has crafted a heartfelt poem of remembrance written in her preferred style:

B:  Beautiful spirit,

E:  Easy to love,

T:  Teacher,

T:  Team player,

Y:  Yes is the answer, even when she wants to say no.

R: Reading is a joy,

I:   In class, Junie B. Jones comes to life,

C:  Christmas gifts galore,

H:  Her days spent cheering on her children and grandchildren,

A:  An exceptional mother,

R:  Reliable and loyal friend,

D:  Door prizes and raffles are hers for the taking,

E:  Ever supportive, loving, and kind.

Preceded in death by her mother, Anne, her father, Perry, and her husband, Hank, Betty is survived by her children, Cathy and Stephen (Melissa), her grandchildren, Henry, Emily, Lainey, and Hailey, and her brothers Bill (Martee), and John (Ila).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the causes Betty valued.  For those interested in supporting our veterans, Betty often donated to Disabled American Veterans.  For those who would like to fund educational projects, there is a memorial donation page set up at Donors Choose, a non-profit designed to give teachers the resources they need to help their students learn and thrive:

https://www.donorschoose.org/inmemoryofbettyricharde