Doris ""Sweetheart"" Young Richardson

Doris ""Sweetheart"" Young Richardson Ms. Doris Young Richardson, 88 years old, of Shreveport, La., passed away on May 4, 2014, in Natchitoches, La. Sweetheart was born April 13, 1926, in Bossier City, La. She was one of five children, Margaret, Mary Nell, Harold, and Donald, born to John and Henrietta Young. Her grandfather, W. T. Young, and mother, Henrietta McKay Young, raised her to be an independent and strong-willed woman. She learned from her grandfather to depend on herself in life and not others, which was a great life lesson that made her the strong woman that she became. She attended and graduated from Bossier High School. She met her former husband, James Alvin Richardson, at the Shreveport Times. They later married and had two children, James Alvin Richardson II and Dera Joy Richardson Killingsworth. St. James Episcopal Church was founded in the fall of 1955. Sweetheart had a strong devotion to her faith in God and her church. She became a member of St. James Episcopal Church on May 19, 1958. She was a very active member in the church. She remained a member until 2011, at which time she moved to Natchitoches, La., to live with her daughter and her husband. She continued her faith at Trinity Episcopal Church in Natchitoches until her health began to fail. Her faith sustained her throughout her life, and we cannot thank St. James Episcopal Church enough for being such a big part of her life until her death. She spent her life as an employee working at Western Electric, which later became AT&T and Lucent Technologies until she retired in the 1990s. She grew up in Bossier City and moved to Shreveport when she got married to raise their family. During her last few years she moved to Natchitoches to be with her daughter and her family. She had a passion for cross stitching and needle pointing. She spent many years creating beautiful pieces that will be cherished by all of her family members. She had a love of creating ceramic pieces and often took her granddaughter Tracy with her to paint ceramics. She enjoyed traveling and meeting with her church friends for lunch. She gave to numerous charitable organizations and volunteered at church weekly. She had her own unique and spirited sense of humor that can be described as ""cheeky"". She was a very caring and giving person who touched so many people lives throughout her life. She was most proud of her family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and son-in-law Mitchell Killingsworth, who deserves credit for his patience and devotion to taking care of her during her decline in health. She loved Mitchell as a son. She used to get her granddaughter Tracy every weekend while she was a young toddler, and she called Tracy ""Sweetheart."" And when Tracy became old enough to talk, she began calling her grandmother ""Sweetheart"", and that is how she got her name. The name is endearing to all of her family. Even her own daughter would call her Sweetheart. Her name just became Sweetheart to everyone. The name is so touching and perfect for the person she was. Most people did not really know her given name was Doris. Survived by son James Alvin II of Ocean Springs, Miss.; daughter Dera Joy and husband Mitchell Killingsworth of Natchitoches, La.;and grandchildren Lisa Christine Hackler, Catherine Tracy Earheart, James Alvin III, and Amanda Killingsworth-Byles. Sweetheart loved her eight great- grandchildren. They are Milo Hackler;,Joshua and Madison Richardson; Reese, Aiden and Emma Earheart; and Parker Byles. Sweetheart was preceded in death by her parents, John Lee Andrew Young and Henrietta McKay Young, sister Mary Nell Decker, brothers Harold Young and Donald Young, and sister Margret Young. Visitation will be held at St. James Episcopal Church on May 9, 2014, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. with funeral services immediately following. Rev Morgan McIntyre will officiate the ceremony. Pallbearers will be James Alvin Richardson III, Dixon Doege, Danny Vanderhoven, Mitchell J. Killingsworth, Don Young, and Scott Young. The graveside service will be at Forest Park Cemetery West, which is located at............. Donations and flowers in honor of Doris ""Sweetheart"" Richardson can be sent to St. James Episcopal Church, insert address Shreveport, La. We would like to extend great thanks to her care givers Shantana and Hannah of Natchitoches, the staff of Natchitoches Community Care Center, Hospice of Natchitoches, Trinity Episcopal Church of Natchitoches, Nita Magee her long-life friend,Rev Morgan McIntyre and her church friends at St. James Episcopal Church in Shreveport. One of Sweetheart's favorite sayings in times of strife was ""Give it to God."" If Sweetheart were here, she would certainly say to everyone, ""Peace Be With You.""