CHURCHVILLE, New York – On Sunday, April 6, 2025, Marie Richards passed away at the age of 96, with her daughter and son-in-law by her side.
Marie, daughter of George & Eleanor Leffel, was born October 8, 1928, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and raised in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she graduated in 1946. Marie held jobs in Los Alamos, New Mexico; Harrisonburg, Virginia; the Pentagon (in the Foreign Affairs Department); and in Webster, New York (as a tariff publisher for her husband Ray’s business).
Ray and Marie, along with their four children, lived in Webster, New York, during which time Marie was actively involved in her community and especially in her church, Webster Assembly of God. In 1987, after 28 years in Webster, Ray and Marie moved to Forestport, New York, where they joined the Boonville Christian and Missionary Alliance church. During this time, Marie became a member of the Boonville Historical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Red Hat Society. She thoroughly enjoyed playing “Boonville’s own Minnie Pearl” in various nursing homes and churches, and many other places.
After Ray passed away, Marie moved into the town of Boonville, where she lived for 14 years. In 2017, she moved back to the Rochester area to spend her remaining years living with her daughter Dawn’s family.
Marie was always the life of the party, bringing joy to all those she met with her bigger than life personality, her unconditional love for everyone, and her living faith in her Lord and Savior, Jesus. She had a positive outlook that drew people to her. As she would say, “I’m too blessed to be depressed.”
Marie was preceded in death by her siblings Peggy, Jack, and Betty, and stepson, Mike (Edna) Richards. She is survived by her children, Brenda (Bob) Mowdy, Ray (Giselle) Richards, and Dawn (Jim) Fugate; grandchildren, Michele, Steve, Sandy, Jenny, David, Jonathan, Benjamin, Hannah, Joshua, and Johanna; and 27 extended grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 7:00pm on Thursday, May 8, at Webster Assembly of God (708 Hard Road, Webster, NY, 14580). A committal service will follow at 4:00pm on Tuesday, June 3, at the Boonville Cemetery (Cemetery Road, Plot D, Boonville, NY 13309).
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