BISHOP DAVID E RICHARDS's Obituary
David Emrys Richards, retired Bishop of the Episcopal Church, died peacefully at home in Coral Gables, Florida, on Tuesday, August 21, 2018, surrounded by his loving family. He was 97 years old.
Following his graduation from General Theological Seminary in 1945, he was ordained priest in Panama and subsequently consecrated as Suffragan Bishop of Albany in 1951.
In 1957, he was elected Bishop of Central America where he served until 1968. During that time, he provided leadership in the growth of a national and indigenous ministry in Central America. Upon leaving this position, Bishop Richards assumed the role of national coordinator of the House of Bishops’ Committee of Pastoral Development, which he held from 1968 until his retirement in 1988.
Bishop Richards was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania on January 24, 1921, and did his undergraduate work at Lehigh University.
He leaves his beloved wife, Helen Rice Richards, four children and their spouses, Timothy (Bessy), Mark (Carmencecilia), Andrew (Peggy), and Anne (Eugenio), and seven grandchildren, Maddock, Gwendolyn, Cait, Dan, Cassie, Galicia, and Miguel.
A service will be held on Saturday, August 25 at 11:00 AM at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Coral Gables, Florida. A reception will follow at St. Philip’s Church.
In lieu of flowers, kindly make donations in Bishop Richards’ honor to the Miami Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 420620, Miami, FL 33242-0620 or to the Episcopal Church in Central America, 815 Second Avenue, New York, New York 10017.
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