Gwendolyn Richards

GWENDOLYN RICHARDS

Ottumwa

Gwendolyn Richards, 92, of Mount Pleasant, formerly of Ottumwa, passed away Oct. 18, 2021, at Savannah Heights Care Center in Mount Pleasant.

She was born July 23, 1929, in Ottumwa, to Roy and Beulah Ellis Kinman. She married Harold Robert Richards on Jan. 23, 1947. He preceded her in death April 10, 2004.

A resident of Ottumwa most of her life, Gwen had worked at Ottumwa Hospital, Mason and Hanger IAAP, Cherry Motel, Jefferson Square Manor and Good Samaritan Society nursing home, before moving to Mount Pleasant in 2017.

She was a lifetime member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary. Gwen's hobbies were fishing, hunting mushrooms, gambling and going on vacations. She and her husband had a cabin on the Des Moines River and she enjoyed the outdoors. Gwen loved animals, especially her dogs and cats and she once had a honey bear and two squirrel monkeys.

Surviving are her children, Mary (Tim) Schaub of Lehigh Acres, Fla., Linda Mortland of West Plains, Mo., Ronald (Ginger) Richards of Mount Pleasant, Marilyn Richards of West Plains, Mo., and Debbie (Bob) VanDerSnick of Mount Pleasant; eight grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Fanny Louise Jones Zeitler; a stepson; and two nephews.

Open visitation will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20, at Reece Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, at Reece Funeral Home with Pastor Jesse Elkins officiating. The family will be present to greet friends one hour prior to the service. For those unable to attend the service, it may be viewed live on the Reece Funeral Home Facebook page. Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Heartland Humane Society.