Obituary Record

Joan (Grothoff) Richards
Died on 9/27/1987

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Date and place of publication of this newspaper article was not recorded.

JOAN RICHARDS, 54

Joan Carolyn Richards, 54, died September 27, 1987, after a year-long illness with cancer.

Joan Grothoff was born August 26, 1933, to Joseph and Johanna (Forck) Grothoff at Taos, Missouri. She grew up in this small community, located just south of Jefferson.

Joan obtained her degrees in the convent in St. Louis, Missouri. She obtained her degree in counseling from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

She had taught as a missionary in Peru, South America , for three years, and had intended to continue but was forced to return to the United States because of a severe case of typhoid fever.

Joan had taught one year in the Omaha Public School System at Lothrop Grade School, and then spent 16 years in the Blair Public School System. Four of these years were at Central School, teaching sixth grade, and twelve years were spent as counselor of the junior high school.

She worked with the gifted students classes for several years, and she was also involved with the spelling bee students, and taught evening classes to adults on chemical dependency.

She was united in marriage with Bob Richards November 13, 1970, in Omaha. She was the mother of two children, Sandi Richards, deceased, and Jeff Richards of Blair.

Joan was active at St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church, singing with the choir, serving on various boards, acting as reader and dispensing of communion.

She is survived by husband, Bob; son Jeff, both of Blair; sister Helen Bisges of Jefferson City, Missouri; sister Clara Eiken of Taos; and brothers Bernard Grothoff and Richard Grothoff, both of Jefferson City.

She was preceded in death by daughter Sandi; her parents, and two brothers, Harold and Francis.

A rosary was held at Campbell Funeral Home Monday, September 28, 1987, at 7 p.m.

Services will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, September 29, 1987, at St. Francis Borgia Church, with Father Dan Galas officiating. Burial will follow in the Blair Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Gene Baumert, Harold Ortmeier, Ken Rohwer, John Little, Roger Petersen and Steve Shanahan.

Memorials are suggested to the Joan C. Richards Scholarship Fund. For more information on the fund, contact Blair High School.

Campbell Funeral Home of Blair handled the arrangements.

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