Richards

The Rev. John Edward Richards, 88, of Franklin departed to be with the Lord on Saturday at the UPMC Northwest Medical Center.

Born in Hilliards on Jan. 25, 1920, he was the son of William Richards and Hannah Day.

After graduating from Geneva College, he served with the Navy in the Pacific during World WarII.

He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary and was the Christian education director of Scofield Memorial Church for 10 years and pastored the Fairview Evangelical Free Church in San Antonio for four years. He was executive director of Seneca Hills Bible Camp for 18 years and also ministered the Mt. Carmel Church.

In retirement, he organized the Hilliards Meadow Enterprise and the Historical Center in Hilliards.

He married Edith Shira on Aug. 25, 1949. She survives along with three children, John Richards and his wife, Louise, of Bethesda, Md., Karen Richards of Franklin and Ann Krill and her husband, Peter, of Plymouth Meeting; and a sister, Virginia Trageser of McMurray.

He was preceded in death by three sisters and three brothers.

<B>RICHARDS</B> — Friends of the Rev. John E. Richards, who died Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008, may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the <B>Robert W. Gardinier Funeral Home</B>, 1315 Chestnut St., Franklin. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Rocky Grove Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Mark DeJeu, church pastor, and the Rev. James Cossin, of Seneca Hills Bible Camp, officiating. Interment will be at the Rosewood Cemetery.Memorials may be made to Seneca Hills Bible Camp, Box 288, Franklin, PA 16323.Condolences may be sent at www.gardinierfuneralhome.com.