Mary E. Richardson

Mary Ellen Nalty Richardson was born on June 5, 1924 in Tylertown, Mississippi to Mae Ella Harvey of Tylertown and Francis M. Nalty of Brookhaven, Mississippi. She was a person of the utmost integrity and loving kindness. In 1946 Mary Ellen met and was wed to Perry Strickland Richardson, Jr. of Brownsville, Mississippi. They were betrothed at her Aunt Dixie's house in Tylertown on December 21, 1946 and spent their honeymoon in New Orleans. Mary worked and with her help Perry graduated from Millsaps College to begin his work in management with Sears Roebuck & Company in Jackson. They had two children, Perry Strickland Richardson, III and Kenneth Francis Richardson.

After the accidental death of her husband in the fall of 1955, Mary Ellen continued in faithfulness to her wedding vows, never remarrying, settling in Clinton and raising her sons as a single mother. Starting as the receptionist for Gordon Marks Advertising and she rose to become the treasurer for the company before her retirement in 1985. Mary Ellen was familiar with adversity. She was a breast cancer survivor and suffered the death of her youngest son, Kenneth, in an accident in 1977. Through it all she persevered and was able to present a cheerful, pleasant and forward looking perspective on things to come.

Her final home was in the Cascades in Clinton. She is survived by her son, Perry Strickland Richardson, III, her grandsons, Kenneth Clifton and David Austin Richardson of Jackson, Mississippi and many other friends and relatives.
Mary Ellen passed from this life on the morning of February 18, 2012.

The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Lakewood Funeral Home with visitation beginning at 12 noon. Interment will follow in Lakewood Memorial Park.