Uncrowned Community Builders

Ruth A. Richardson, who managed a family photography business, died in the Salt Lake City home of one of her sons after a long illness. Born Ruth Davis in Buffalo, she attended School 31 and graduated from Fosdick-Masten Park High School. She was 89.

For more than 40 years starting in the 1950s, Mrs. Richardson managed the family's business, Richardson's Photos, a leading African-American photography business in Buffalo.

Mrs. Richardson had been an active member of First Shiloh Baptist Church, where she worked in the food pantry.

After her marriage to Isaiah Richardson, she converted to the Catholic faith and became a member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church until it closed. Then the family united with Blessed Trinity Catholic Church before transitioning to St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church, where she was a member of the Ladies Guild and Eucharistic ministry. She also attended Bible study at Lincoln Memorial Church.

When Mrs. Richardson relocated to St. Lake City, she joined St. Catherine Catholic Church.

While in Buffalo, she was the president of the LeTreize Social Club; president of the Northland Avenue Block Club; chairwoman of the Ingleside Home board of directors; treasurer of the William Emslie YMCA Senior Citizens; and a member of the American Red Cross Greater Buffalo Chapter board of directors.

Mrs. Richardson was a long-standing member and president of the Hamlin Park Garden Club. She also received the "Woman of the Year" award from St. Martin de Porres Church.

Her favorite hobby was sewing, and she designed and sewed many of her own clothes. For more than 10 years, she was a sewing instructor at the St. Peter Claver Youth Program.

She had a daughter, Stephanie Roye and three sons, Lynn, Rodney and Maurice. Her husband of 40 years died in 1984.