Clifton L Richards Jr.'s Obituary
Clifton L. Richards, Jr.March 30, 1919- August 23, 2017Clifton L. Richards, Jr., was born March 30, 1919, in Kansas City, Missouri, to father Clifton L. Richards, Sr., and mother, Blodwen (Babba) Richards. He grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma with brother, Edwin Richards, and later attended New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico. After graduation, Clifton completed his first year of college at the University of Oklahoma, and attended his second and third years of college at University of Tulsa, before entering the Navy. He received his bachelor’s degree at National University in San Diego in 1978.After returning from war, and being discharged from the Navy, Clifton opened a camera shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He later went to work for Sweeny, a company in Tulsa that x-rayed and certified welds in oil refineries, a revolutionary technology at the time. From there he went to work for Convair, in California, working on electronics for F102A Fighter Jets. After leaving Convair he went to General Dynamics where he traveled throughout the Central part of the United States working on the electronics guidance systems on the Atlas missiles and missile silos. Clifton transferred to the electronics division working on satellites, landing him in San Diego, California, where he met the love of his life, Laura Richards.At the age of 21, Clifton followed in his father’s footsteps by completing his Master Mason Degree, and becoming a member of the Akdar Shrine. He later joined the Al Bahr Shrine Temple in 1968. During his time in the Shrine, he was involved with a variety philanthropic organizations. He was President of the Compineros Shrine Club, then Tin Lizzies, a miniature car unit that participates in local parades. He built and drove several cars in local parades in California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Mexico for 15 years. He was an avid supporter of the Transportation Fund, a program that provides funds to transport sponsored injured and burned children to Shrine Hospitals. Clifton was the Chairman of the Stop Burns Program, a burn prevention awareness campaign teaching children the slogan of “Stop, Drop, and Roll.” He became Potentate of the Al Bahr Shrine in 1997. In 2015, he was pinned as a 75-year member of the Masonic Lodge.Clifton had many passions in his life; cars, photography, philanthropy, the Shrine, travel, and technology. Most of all he was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.Clifton is preceded in death by his wife, Laura Richards, son, Clifton L. Richards III, father, Clifton L. Richards Sr., and mother, Blodwen Richards. He is survived by a brother, Edwin Richards. Children, David Richards (Mary Richards), Carol Richards (wife to Clifton L. Richards III), Sean Richards (Maureen McQuinn), Oona Clark (Paul P.G. Clark), and Laura Weissert (Toby Weissert). Nephews, Dennis Richards, and Phillip Richards. Grandchildren, Jennifer Gibbs (Chad Gibbs), Kimberly Richards (Rita Rogalewski), Lindsay Richards-Swisher (Rich Swisher), Jennifer Buttweiler (Todd Buttweiler), Rachel Akin (Matt Akin), Amber Hansen (James Hansen), Conor Richards, Breana Clark, and Ian Richards. Great Grandchildren, Wyatt, and Emma Gibbs, Neva Akin, Natalie and Colton Buttweiler and Luke Clifton Swisher.
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