Leon v. Richie, Sr.

Mr. Leon V. Richie, Sr., died January 26, 2006, at home after a short battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his family and plenty of love. He will be sadly missed, for his was the backbone of our family. He was born November 3, 1924 in Tibbie, Alabama to Edward and Eula Taylor Richie. As a boy he worked in the seafood plants and on the boats. He then joined the U. S. Army during WW II and was a member of the 2nd Chemical Battalion, serving in the invasion of Italy and Southern France. He received the World War II Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal, European African Middle Service Medal with four Bronze Stars, and the Bronze Arrowhead. After his tenure in the military, he drove the city bus for many years. Later he worked as a supervisor for Sea Carl Marine. Up until his death he was the owner/operator of Richie Cores. He was an honest, hard working man who loved spending time with his family and playing nickels at Boomtown. But his passion was working with the boy scouts. He served as Den Chief of the Cub Scouts and was selected Cub Scout Leader of the year in 1998. In November of 2005, he was honored for being a den leader for 15 years. At summer camps the boys loved to listen to Leon's lessons on nature's plants and animals found on the coast. He was a member of Heritage United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Hazel Barry, his parents, eight brothers and two sisters. Survivors include his wife, Joyce Betancourt Richie, of D'Iberville; daughters, Sherrie M. Richmond and her husband, Lt. Col. Lee Richmond, of Jamestown, NC, Chressie J. Sylvester of Phoenix, AZ, Bonnie J. Odum of D'Iberville, Wendie M. Cook and her husband, Kenny, Troie L. Roy, Elsie I. Dauphin and her husband, Billy, of Biloxi, and Jeanette McClain of Quitman; sons, Daniel G. Mitchell of Biloxi, Leon "Jack" Richie, Jr., Austin Swarts of D'Iberville, and Douglas Richie of Quitman; 23 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and his cat "Kat". Visitation is Sunday, January 29, 2006, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Pass Road Chapel of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Homes in Biloxi. Funeral service is 1 p.m. Monday in the funeral home chapel with interment in Biloxi National Cemetery. The family request donations be made to Camp Wilkes, P. O. Box 69, Biloxi, MS 39530.