Russell James Richards' Obituary
Russell James Richards was born on July 3, 1946. To some he was Brother Richards, as a kid he was known as Rusty, but for most of his life most people called him Russ.
Russ spent his lifetime in service to God and Country as he saw it, being active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and working for the U.S. government. Russ loved work and service opportunities. He loved to serve others.
Russ was a constitutional conservative for much of his life but compassionate towards the less fortunate. Of the many places he had been through work, America was the place he loved the most - the land of the free.
Russ loved America- both the beauty of the land and this country. He loved the scenic landscape of Utah and Colorado- from the verdant forests and mountains of those states and the red rock parks of southern Utah at Bryce Canyon and Zion to the Garden of the Gods of Colorado Springs. He loved leisurely scenic drives, particularly Skyline Drive along the Shenandoah in Virginia. He loved the cherry blossoms in Washington DC. Russ loved the sunsets he saw in Nashville, along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Virginia, and along the Pacific in California.
Ecclesiastes 1:5 states, "The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose."
Sometimes, no matter how long the life is, it feels like time is going too fast and that there will be more time.
Russ grew up in a small town in Idaho. He settled in the state of Utah after he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a young man. After nearly two decades of service working for the State of Utah and in the U.S. Army Reserves, he got a job while he was a Major in the Army Reserves that brought him to live in Virginia.
Russ settled in Woodbridge because of its proximity to his job at Fort Belvoir. That started his career working for the federal government for the next 30 years in the Department of Defense (DOD). He worked for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) at various offices throughout Northern Virginia and then Fort Meade before finishing his career back in Virginia.
Russ loved working for the Department of Defense. His favorite role with the DOD was working as their IT Interoperability Liaison with NATO. He was very proud of that role. He had the honor of traveling the globe as a civilian while meeting fellow veterans as he helped to build America's defense with NATO.
Russ loved entertainment- tv, music, plays, and movies. By far his favorite movie was the Dead Poets Society with Robin Williams. He loved Robin Williams’s funny movies like Mrs. Doubtfire but his favorite by far was the drama, Dead Poets Society. He loved poetry and the old romances like in the movies. He loved Walt Whitman and the “Leaves of Grass,” and the "Oh Captain my Captain" scene from Dead Poets Society. He loved Robert Frost and how choosing the road less traveled made all the difference. Carpe Diem - seize the marrow from the bones and rage against the dying of the light.
Russ went to see a lot of concerts in Nashville the year he retired and got to finally try to satisfy his lifelong love of country music that year. In his later years, he strived to catch up on all the tv shows & movies he'd missed out on with work.
Russ loved his grandchildren and children, and he dearly loved his wife, Carmen, with whom he recently celebrated 40 years of marriage. He loved spending time with Carmen. They were looking forward to planning a trip together to Maine and hoping to eat fresh lobster by the seashore. He was looking forward to turning 80 in a few short months and wanted to eat Chesapeake Bay blue crabs near the water closer to home.
Russ is survived by his wife, Carmen; their daughters Heidi and Marlene; his children, Janette, Mark, Darren, Paul, Scott, and Jaime from his first marriage; his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and his brother, Mike.
Russ was preceded in death by his mother; father; and his brother, Dennis.
Russ’s last words were, “the clock is going too fast.” He looked at the clock on the wall and thought that the hands on the clock were moving too fast - like time was moving too fast. And then he died suddenly, swiftly, and peacefully from complications of a pulmonary embolism. Like so many people, time moved too fast until it stopped.
I think Russ would like to leave you with the condolence words he wrote to a co-worker from his favorite working group over a decade ago after attending that co-worker’s grandmother's funeral where he learned that she loved to read, solve crossword puzzles, and get together with family. Russ wrote: "Our hearts go out to you at this time of grief.... I hope you know that he loves you and will always be with you. And I hope that you know that we love you too..... I know you read and love a good story like the one you recommended to me... And I know you believe in the family tradition of picnics and get togethers, which we have enjoyed. I'm sure he would say: 'Don't forget me and what I taught you.... So carry on, carry on, carry on, until we meet again.'"
When his brother Dennis passed a few months ago, Russ wrote on the memorial page: "I will always love you... Memories stay with me until we meet on the other side.... Rest in peace and knowledge of my love."
The family will receive friends from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Sunday, May 3, 2026 at Found and Sons Funeral Chapel, 10719 Courthouse Road, Fredericksburg, where the funeral service will begin at 4:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Brother Jesse Brimhall officiating.
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