George S. Richardson passed away on Sunday, May 1, 2016, in Chandler. A viewing will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, at Messinger Mortuary in Old Town Scottsdale. A gravesite service with military honors will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 6, at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona on Pinnacle Peak and Cave Creek Roads, with a reception following at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3010 E. Thunderbird Road in Phoenix. George was a beloved father and grandfather, brother and friend. He was a man of faith, honest, hard working and loved his family. He spent a long career in law enforcement in the State of Arizona, along with many other occupations, including trucking, farming, woodworking and other business adventures. He’d say, “I gotta have a gig.” George was one of 11 children growing up in Texas. He came to Arizona when he joined the Navy and was stationed at Litchfield Naval Air Facility. He served in the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1967. After an honorable discharge, he resumed his life in the Phoenix area. Later he served in the National Guard and moved to Northern Arizona. He was an officer for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Public Safety and the Apache County Sheriff’s Office. George made a life of continued learning and being active in building and creating. Survivors include his six children, Shane Richardson, Lisa Richardson (Chris Ekstrom), Rachel Richardson Cordova, Jacob Richardson (Shantel), Walker Richardson and Owen Richardson; eight grandchildren, Wyatt, Skylar, Sedona, Maggie, (Alice), Riley, Ava and Carson. He will be greatly missed by all his surviving family and friends who dearly love him.
