She was the oldest member of South Main Street Baptist Church in Greenwood.Born November 30, 1926 the sixth of seven children born to John Henry and Ethel Sims Thompson in Ware Shoals, SC. Her father was a farmer and her mother was a seamstress.
She was predeceased by both parents, all her siblings, a daughter, Sandy Penland and two grandsons, Erik Richey and David Penland.
She is survived by a son, Frank C. Richey, Jr., and a daughter, Betty Richey Aviles, two grandsons, Jon and Ben, three granddaughters, Tracy, Jennifer, and Amy, seven great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.
Ms. Richey grew up in a time when living was hard. She attended church regularly all her life, until she was forced to stop driving her red mustang at around 92 years old.
As soon as she was old enough, she went to work in the Riegel Textile Mill in Ware Shoals and then in Greenwood Mills as a weaver, until her retirement around 1986, at 62.
After retirement, she volunteered at Self Memorial Hospital, now known as Self Regional. There she volunteered to do whatever they needed her to do to help patients and their families.
She worked hard all her life. In addition to reading her Bible daily, she passed her time coloring, reading books, and doing word search puzzles. She continued working in her garden, with her flowers and around the house until she passed.
Graveside services will be held at 3:00 PM at Greenwood Memorial Gardens on Sunday, January 11th with Rev. Bradford Russ officiating.
The family requests that flowers be omitted. Online condolences may be made at www.ParkerWhitePruitt.com
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If the service has already been held, please contact the family directly.