Henry Grady Richards~

My father's oldest brother celebrated his 95th Birthday when this newspaper article featured him. I went to visit shortly after this birthday~ he and I sat on his back porch and he told me he would like to live another 3 year, as he felt he had 3 more books to write. He wrote little pamphlet's of poetry and saying which he gifted to all. He was a very special man. He makes you wonder if you will yourself life as he lived another 3 years.

To help put this story in perspective: Here is a list of the Family Members

Grandparents:
George W Richards 1832 – 1911 (Civil War)

Amanda Lee Richards 1832 – 1910 (From Virginia and listed as of the Lee Family of Virginia)

Father: Rufus Stonewall Jackson Richards Mother: Clara Della Byrd 1872 - 1947
Their children"

Henry Grady Richards 1894 – 1990

Lee Richards 1895 – 1979

Zora Della Richards 1896 –

Samuel Richards 1898 –

Eliphet Richards 1900 –

Catrula Richards 1902 – 1904

Davis Richards 1905 – 1988

Verbon Richards 1907 – 1989

Cecil B Richards 1910 – 1989

La Roy Richards 1912 – 1989 (My father)

I have written an introduction to Amanda, his grandmother. Amanda was educated to be a general physician, which is all they required in her day. She delivered babies and cared for everyone in her District.

She delivered Grady and all of his siblings, no doubt. She had a great influence on his life as well as all around her.

Henry Grady dedicated his life to public service. A Church in a small North Carolina town was named Henry Grady Richards in his honor and a school in Florence, Alabama.

Looking for the School on River Road in Florence, resulted in discovery that the school, which carried his full name is no longer in existence. My heart sank~ but the nice lady remembered Uncle Grady and told me the building now houses the Board of Education... and it is now the Richards Building.

This made me happy that his name is on the Building. He would have liked that too.