Jerry Richardson

Profile Updated: September 2, 2010
Residing In: Oklahoma City, OK USA
Spouse/Partner: Joy Engle
Homepage: http://actingyourage1.blogspot.com
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Occupation: Automobile dealer
Children: Brad born 1967 3(boy, girl, boy)
Brett born 1969 3(girl) (identical twin boys)
Robin More… born 1973 2(girl,boy)
Military Service: US Navy USS Rainier (AE-5) 1963-65  
Attending Reunion

Yes

Comments:

Upon graduation from Harding, I figured I was not going to win a Super Bowl ring or knock Elvis Presley off the pages of “Variety”. So, I attended OU and was graduated with a degree in business in 1963. I married after graduation and immediately joined the Navy for two years, moving to San Francisco where I joined my ship as Gunnery and Cargo Officer. The USS Rainier (AE-5), an ammunition ship, was near the Tonkin Gulf in August 1964 when the two destroyers were attacked. That became the start of the Vietnam War. I had joined the Navy to see the world, but not go to war. We spent eight months off the coast of Vietnam delivering rockets and bombs to carriers and destroyers before coming home. When I joined Naval ROTC, I had not expected to get married after college and during the two years I served, I was only home for eight months and on duty every fourth night when the ship was at home. Decided a career in the service was not for me! So, when my ship headed back to Vietnam in the summer of 1965 and my Navy duty was over, I returned to Oklahoma City.

I joined my father in the car business and stayed there for 30 years. I sold the Ford store in 1998 and then subsequently purchased Toyota, Suzuki, and Kia franchises. I currently own a Kia/Suzuki dealership in Norman. I am essentially retired as I have a young partner who supervises the operation. I went to OCU for four years of nights and summers and when I was 51 received an MLA degree. I even had braces on my teeth during that time. Unfortunately, securing my place in history is the fact that I was on the Board of Directors of Penn Square Bank when the FDIC shut it down in 1982. I had to testify before a Congressional Sub Committee. Not fun!! This whole affair was chronicled in two books. Funny Money by Mark Singer and Belly UP: The Collapse of Penn Square Bank by Philip Zwieg. My involvement with the beginning of the Vietnam War AND being on the Board of the largest bank failure, up to at that time, are not my favorite bio entries. One claim to fame I have is my mother, Mozelle. She received her degree from OU at age 90. The oldest graduate from there. She is also listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest graduate anywhere. Embarrassing when it took her 72 years and only took me and my siblings four. And, she still drives. At 96,she recently had her 9th book "The Thyssen Affair" published. She is now working on her 10th.

One of my biggest joys (besides my wife Joy) is traveling and having an opportunity to see a good part of the world. I enjoy out of the way places and I have dragged my wife screaming to places such as Tibet, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma), East Germany and Russia (before the wall came down), Nepal, India (particularly liked Calcutta), Cuba (on a mission trip), China and other similar places. Shortly, after we left Tibet, Myanmar, and Nepal riots broke out. I must be a carrier. One of the reasons behind my wife’s screaming was that I waited until we were exiting Cambodia to tell her there was a $10,000 bounty on Americans while we were there. And, then her riot broke out. During my time in the Navy, I became a fan of the Orient. However, we have also been to more sane places in Europe. I have also tried out for "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race" seven times. Guess they think I’m too old. Been an extra in a movie and I did do a few small parts for the Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City. Not singing parts. My most famous line was from the musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood. As a butler, I got to say, “The goose is cooked”.

Check out my blog at http://actingyourage1.bloogspot.com. This is my new avocation. See if I make it to the red carpet.

I now manage my wife’s art career. This means, I put the wires on the back of her paintings and hang them at shows. Check out her website joyrichardsonart.com

Our three children think I am cool, gutsy, and ridiculous because I have bungee jumped. My wife just thinks I’m crazy. Our children are married and have given us eight grandchildren (including identical twin boys) who are probably the cutest ones in the class. We are enjoying life at this age and I look forward to seeing many of you at the reunion.

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Jerry Richardson has a birthday today.
May
23
May 23, 2023 at 4:33 AM
Jerry Richardson has a birthday today.
May 23, 2022 at 4:33 AM
Jerry Richardson has a birthday today.
May 23, 2021 at 4:33 AM
Jerry Richardson has left an In Memory comment for Linda McGee.
Oct 11, 2020 at 3:02 PM

Jerry Richardson has left an In Memory comment for Joe Harrington.
Jan 06, 2020 at 12:33 PM

                                                                                                                                                                                          

AGE 78


Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, at Delhomme Funeral Home - Bertrand for Leo Joe Harrington, Jr., 78, who passed away on December 30, 2019 at home. Joe retired from the U. S. Army Reserves, as a Major, after 29 years and 10 months of service. He retired from the Oil and Gas industry after many years of service in sales. He is survived by three daughters, Edie Hargis and her husband, Jeff, Andrea Eymard and her husband, Nathan, and Sarah Daigle and her husband, Chad; nine grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and one God daughter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leo Harrington, Sr. and Edith Rogers Harrington, and two brothers, Robert and John Harrington. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home - Bertrand on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, from 9:00 AM until the time of service. Personal condolences may be sent to the Harrington family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements
 

 

Jerry Richardson has a birthday today.
May 23, 2019 at 4:34 AM
Jerry Richardson has a birthday today.
May 23, 2018 at 4:33 AM
May 29, 2017 at 3:49 PM

Ed - Every time I send an email to you it bounces back. If you don't mind, if this gets to you I would like to have it. I just sent an obituary for Joey Wheeler today and yours was one of the ones that came back. Hope all is well with you. I do a decent, not great, job of trying to keep everyone updated on what goes on with our fellow graduates.

Jerry Richardson

Jerry Richardson has a birthday today.
May 23, 2017 at 4:33 AM
Jerry Richardson has a birthday today.
May 23, 2016 at 4:33 AM
Jerry Richardson has a birthday today.
May 23, 2015 at 4:33 AM
Posted: Dec 16, 2013 at 11:45 PM
Enjoying a good time in my backyard about 2006
Posted: Dec 16, 2013 at 11:45 PM
My wife, my children, their spouses, and my grandchildren. My daughter-in-law in the front right gave birth to identical twin boys in April 2009. Taken at a family reunion over July 4th holiday 2008 outside of Santa Fe.