Biography of Charlie & Mary (Jane) Doughty Richardson, LaSalle Parish, La. Submitted by: Submitted by: Joe Doughty, Nephew of Charlie & Mary Mae Richardson ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** TIPS FOR SEARCHING RECORDS ON THE INTERNET Netscape & Ms Explorer users: If you are searching for a particular surname, locality or date while going through the records in the archives or anywhere....try these few steps: 1. Go to the top of the report you are searching. 2. Click on EDIT at the top of your screen 3. Next click on FIND in the edit menu. 4. When the square pops up, enter what you are looking for in the FIND WHAT ___________blank. 5. Click on DIRECTION __DOWN. 6. And last click on FIND NEXT and continue to click on FIND NEXT until you reach the end of the report. This should highlight the item that you indicated in "find what" every place it appears in the report. You must continue to click on FIND NEXT till you reach the end of the report to see all of the locations of the item indicated. Remembering Charlie & Mary Mae (Jane) Richardson Charlie Augdon Richardson and Mary Mae Doughty were born less than one year and just a few miles apart on June 26, 1920, and April 22, 1921, respectively. Their early years were spent in rural Catahoula Parish between the communities of Rhinehart and Manifest. They were both products of large families. The Doughty family had seven children, and the Richardson family had ten. They both attended and graduated from Manifest High School. The Doughty family was stable and loving, anchored by two strong parents who provided Mary Mae with a solid foundation in spiritual nurture and a clear sense of herself. Her father was a Baptist clergyman and also an independent farmer. He was a man of much stature in the community and well respected by all who knew him. Her mother was strong and loving with the capacity to instill good values in the lives of her children. As a result, the children possessed a clarity concerning the ultimate meaning of life which would serve them well throughout their days. Mary Mae was a rich recipient of this heritage, and it would characterize her life until its end. The Richardson family was marked by tragedy in the early days of Charlie's life. One of the children, a young son, died in childhood, and then a few years later the mother died leaving several young children, Charlie included, and a family torn apart by grief and never able to fully recover. There was much love among those who remained, but it was love that was unattached to the safety of a stable home, and thus the severity of their loss was never fully mitigated. Just as his wife carried the strength of her family values with her throughout life, Charlie carried the pain of a childhood not completed and a home fractured by sorrow and struggle. Their two backgrounds, similar in so many ways, yet profoundly different, actually complimented each other and gave each of them qualities which enriched their lives across fifty years of marriage. During high school days, they were both profoundly influenced by the friendship of Mr. Dee Wade, a beloved teacher and coach. Mr. Wade took a special interest in Charlie and offered him the role model that he so desperately needed. He also assisted in the courtship of the young couple. He would often give Charlie a ride to the Doughty house and sometimes even take them places that they wanted to go. He would frequently say after basketball practice, "Charlie, let's go pick up your Jane", thus the nickname that stuck with her for the rest of her life. On July 20, 1940, their marriage was solemnized in an elopement ceremony which was probably necessitated by the reluctance of the Reverend and Mrs. Doughty to grant the hand of their daughter to one who appeared to have such meager prospects. They moved to Alexandria, Louisiana, and there they lived and worked until the outbreak of World War II on December 7, 1941. Like most young men of his era, Charlie soon found himself a part of the United States military preparing to be shipped overseas to fight in the great war. He was inducted into the U. S. Marine Corps and eventually landed in the thick of combat on the islands in the Pacific. He saw action in several major battles before being gravely wounded. He was moved to a hospital overseas and finally to another one back in the states in California. There he was joined by his bride who nurtured him and encouraged him on the long road to recovery. In reality it was a recovery that never ended. The scars of battle, both physical and emotional, were added to the scars he already carried from his childhood. They came home together and began to build their future in Jena. On December 24, 1945, their firstborn, Charles Gerald made his appearance, followed on May 26, 1947, by Donald Gene. Then on September 1, 1954, Janet Carol was born, and the Richardson family was complete. The family was reared on a forty acre hill in LaSalle Parish just outside Jena. It was a good and exciting time with lots of extended family gatherings and numerous activities. With animals to care for, gardens to tend, and a lawn to keep, there was enough work to keep the kids out of trouble some of the time. There were also frequent visits to the Greens Creek camp for swimming, fishing, sand castle building, and just being together. It was often said by observers that there was "never a dull moment" with Charlie and Jane. Charlie was the daring, impetuous one, always looking for a new way to experience life. He was willing to try anything (some think he almost did). He used his outgoing, extroverted personality as a shield against the struggle and disappointment of his early years. He loved to be with people, and they loved to be with him. His was a world of music, laughter, conversation, and friendship. Underneath it all was a deep sensitivity and emotional current which characterized his life. Mary Mae (Jane) was the strong, quiet foundation of the relationship (a fact that Charlie always recognized and valued). She was the ultimate support person for her husband and family, and she provided the clear sense of direction in terms of spiritual strength and an understanding of the value system. When times were good, she could join in the fun and enjoy the friendships and adventures that life with Charlie and three children could bring. When times were hard and life was uncertain, she was the rock upon which the others depended for sustenance and security. Through good times and bad, they shared their fifty years of marriage. Jane delivered mail on a rural route for thirty plus years. Charlie sold butane gas in the early days, then worked for many years with International Paper Company. In 1961 they donated land for a family cemetery. Later they developed Woodland Memorial Cemetery which continues to be a major place of burial for people in LaSalle and Catahoula Parishes. They were blessed with six grandchildren all of whom have their own special memories of their relationships with Pappaw and Grandmother. Those grandparenting years were among their best. They enjoyed their beautiful home and frequent visits from their grandchildren. There were fish to catch in the pond, ducks to feed, firewood to gather, walks down the gravel road to the "haunted house", Grandmother's Christmas and Valentine cookies to eat, and plenty of music and interesting talk. It was the stuff of memories, and they made many. On November 19, 1990, just four months after the celebration of their golden wedding anniversary, Charlie lost his life to Alzheimer's Disease which had already taken its toll both physically and mentally. Even though he had been in a skilled nursing facility for many weeks, Jane insisted that he be brought back to the home he loved for his last days. She provided loving care as she quietly surrendered him into the keeping of the one in whom they had placed their faith for a lifetime. His funeral service was held at First Baptist Church in Jena where he had been an usher, deacon, and Sunday School teacher. It was marked by a tribute from longtime friend, Reverend Kerfoot Brooks, and by the beautiful "Sunrise Serenade", which for years had been one of his favorite musical selections. He was buried in the Richardson Cemetery amid the peaceful surroundings that he had envisioned thirty years before. Shortly after Charlie's death, Jane sold the house and bought a smaller home in Jena. There she lived and enjoyed the company of many longtime friends and family. They were involved in church activities, card parties, and sometimes, trips to interesting places. She also had plenty of time to spend with her beloved grandchildren. She began to have frequent bouts of Asthma. At first they were mostly annoying, but later they grew more severe. Between episodes she would seem perfectly healthy, but the attacks came with increasing frequency and severity. On May 3, 1995, she was stricken by an attack in her home while being visited by Truett and Chris. In spite of their valiant efforts to assist her, she lapsed into a coma from which she never recovered. On May 9, at St. Francis Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria, she quietly slipped across that mysterious river of life and joined Charlie for the rest of their journey together. Her funeral service was held in the packed sanctuary of First Baptist Church in Jena. Tributes from her grandchildren were read by great-niece Leslie Bass, and words of remembrance were shared by her niece Janelle Honeycutt. A beautiful rendition of "Tura Lura" was a reminder of the way in which she had often used that song to comfort her little ones. She was buried beside Charlie in the Richardson Cemetery. Theirs was a life of love and sacrifice, laughter and pain, hope and disappointment, struggle and fulfillment. The values which formed their lives continue to live in the generations that follow them. Perhaps granddaughter Donna said it best, "Not a day goes by that I don't give thanks for the influence of Pappaw and Grandmother in my life." So say we all. Thanks be to God. Respectfully, Dr. Gerald Richardson, Son of Charlie & Mary Mae Richardson August 12, 1999 Submitted by: Joe Doughty, Nephew of Charlie & Mary Mae Richardson doughty1@iamerica.net