Sussex-Surry County-Richmond City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Richardson, T. Lee Jr., 1965 

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REV. THOMAS LEE RICHARDSON, JR.

  Lee Richardson, a native of Virginian, was born August 5, 1905 in Richmond 
to Thomas Lee and Mattie Walthall Richardson.  An answer to a mother’s prayer 
from the time of his birth was his response to the call to the gospel ministry 
even before his graduation from John Marshall High School in Richmond in 1924. 
He was further educated at the University of Richmond, Union Theological 
Seminary, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lynchburg College, and the 
University of Virginia.

  Mr. Richardson was ordained on October 24, 1934 at the First Baptist Church 
of Richmond.  Five months later he married a local Surry County resident, 
Helen Presson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joel Henley Presson.  (Helen Presson 
was the great aunt of Judy Presson Baldwin.)  Mr. Richardson embarked on a 
ministry which included pastorates in Wakefield, Dendron, Surry, Madison 
Heights, Luray, Norton, and Fork Union.

  On October 28, 1934 at 3:00 p.m., an installation service to inaugurate the 
pastorate of T. Lee Richardson, Jr. was held at Wakefield Baptist Church. 
During his ministry, he organized a board of deaconesses to serve for the same 
term as deacons.  At the November 2, 1934 Church Conference, Mrs. C.H. Traylor 
and Mrs. T.O. Gwaltney were elected as deaconesses.  Sol. I. Jenkins was 
elected Church Clerk at the February 9. 1937 Conference.  The minutes reveal 
that the total yearly expenses for the church were $1,250.00.  The total 
weekly expenses at the present time are approximately $1,805.77.  Mr. 
Richardson resigned from Wakefield in 1937.

  Prior to his death in a Portsmouth hospital on February 4, 1965, Mr. 
Richardson had served as head of the Department of Religion at Frederick 
Military Academy in Portsmouth, Virginia

  In addition to his wife, he was survived by their four daughters; Mrs. 
Janice Clark of Luray, Mrs. Mary Lee Good of Staunton, Mrs. Helen Ann Sherman 
of Richmond, Miss Betty Jane Richardson of Portsmouth, and one son, T.L. 
Richardson, III of Portsmouth.



Rev. Thomas Lee RICHARDSON, Jr., Baptist pastor, 
b. 5 Aug 1905, Richmond, d. 4 Feb 1965, Portsmouth, 
interred in Forest Lawn Cemetery*, Richmond, 
Resources: Clerk Minutes Book 1887 - 1939, pg. 229-233. 
Virginia Baptist Historical Society. 
Gayle Boykin Lanier 12/12/2010 History Note #20

*Find a Grave Mem. #148343389 

His parents are also buried there. 

His in-laws are buried in Rocky Hock Methodist Church Cemetery, Surry Co. 


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Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager. 

file at: 
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