Doyle Ernest Richardson

Doyle Ernest Richardson, a former Mayor and attorney who practiced law in Tullahoma for
over 50 years, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Jacksonville, FL, with
his wife and children by his side. He was 89.
A man with a long, interesting life, Doyle had a lifelong interest in genealogy, and we believe
he would have appreciated a very, very thorough obituary left behind as a record!
Doyle Richardson was born November 20, 1935, the youngest child of the late William
Thomas "Tommy" Richardson and Fannette Malcom Richardson. He was born in Good
Hope, Walton Co., GA, in a farmhouse situated on land that had been owned by the
Malcom family for more than a century. His parents soon moved to a nearby farm in
Fairplay, Morgan Co., GA, where he spent his elementary and high school years. He
attended the one-room elementary school in Bostwick, GA; helped his father plow (by
mule!) and harvest their cotton fields; and survived being gored by a bull he was raising as a
4-H project.
Doyle graduated from Morgan Co. High School in 1953. An outstanding football player and
team captain, Doyle received a football scholarship from Vanderbilt University. A timely
and narrowly approved school consolidation plan added a 12th grade to the 11-year
program, allowing for additional classes that helped Doyle meet Vanderbilt's admission
requirements. Doyle also had the distinction of serving as two-time senior class president
and was voted "Best All-Around."
Doyle had never been outside of the state of Georgia (nor had his parents) when he arrived
by bus at Vanderbilt in the fall of 1953. A hard-hitting 5'11, 175 lb. SEC center and
linebacker for the Commodores, Vanderbilt head coach Art Guepe once told a reporter
"Doyle Richardson is the hardest hitting tackler I ever saw. If he weighed any more it would
be illegal to play him." Doyle played on the Vanderbilt 1955 Gator Bowl team that defeated
Auburn 25-13 in the first nationally televised bowl game. Legend has it that he tackled
future Alabama governor Fob James and made him fumble. He never missed a five-year
reunion of the Gator Bowl squad, which was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of
Fame in 2015 on Coach John Majors' nomination.
At Vanderbilt, Doyle was a member of ROTC and Sigma Nu fraternity, graduating with a
degree in business administration in 1957. He had a "red shirt" fifth year of football
scholarship eligibility, which he used to enroll in Vanderbilt Law School.
And there, he discovered his life calling.
After a year of law school, Doyle was called to active military service in 1958 as a Second
Lieutenant. He completed U.S. Army Intelligence School at Fort Holabird, MD, and was
assigned to active duty in 1959 as a U.S. Army intelligence oUicer at Redstone Arsenal,
Huntsville, AL. He was promoted to First Lieutenant in 1960 while serving in the U.S. Army
Counterintelligence Corps. He next served as an investigator (GS-9) in the Inspector
General's OUice, Army Ordnance Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal. Among his duties
was vetting German scientists brought to the U.S. to work in the rocket program. Doyle
interviewed Dr. Wernher von Braun numerous times to verify information provided about
work they had done under him in Germany during World War II. He also conducted security
inspections at installations at Redstone Arsenal, Cape Canaveral FL, and White Sands NM.
While in Huntsville, Doyle attended the University of Alabama and earned a certificate in
Accounting.
After completing military service, he re-entered law school and graduated in 1964. He was
a member of Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity; member of Moot Court (awarded best brief);
received the Edmund Morgan Award for Academic Achievement; and served as president
of the Vanderbilt Bar Association. During these years, Doyle worked for law firms on behalf
of Standard Oil of Kentucky in a prominent dispute involving the trade name "Esso" against
Standard Oil of New Jersey.
Doyle was admitted to the Tennessee bar in March 1964, and joined the law practice of
Henry & McCord (later Henry, McCord, Forrester & Richardson) in Tullahoma. Later law
partnerships were Forrester and Richardson; Rogers, Richardson and Duncan; Doyle E.
Richardson, Attorney; and Richardson & Richardson (with his wife Jan).
He achieved many distinctions in the practice of law, including serving on the Board of
Governors of the Tennessee Bar Association; CoUee County Bar Association Vice
President; CoUee County Court Magistrate; and through memberships in the American Bar
Association, the American and Tennessee Trial Lawyers Associations, the National
Network of Estate Planning Attorneys, and the Mid-South Forum of Estate Planning
Attorneys. He was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1987. After
moving to Florida in 2000, he passed the Florida bar exam at the age of 66. He was member
of the Florida Bar Association and the Martin County Bar Association; the National
Association of Family Wealth Counselors; and the Planned Giving Council of Martin, St.
Lucie, and Indian River Counties. He was rated "AV Preeminent" – the highest possible
rating for an attorney – through Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings.
Doyle was also committed to public service and education. He served as President of the
Tullahoma Chamber of Commerce; as a member of the Tullahoma Industrial Board; on the
UTSI Support Council; as a CoUee County Commissioner; on the CoUee Co. Metropolitan
Charter Commission; as President of the CoUee County Mental Health Association; as
President of the Tullahoma Quarterback Club; as Trustee of the Motlow College
Development Council; as Vice-Chairman of the CoUee Co. GOP; as Vice President of
Lakewood Country Club; and as Deacon and Trustee of First Christian Church. He founded
the John Holland and Wollman Scholarships and served as Chairman, facilitating the
college education of generations of Tullahoma High School graduates.
In business, Doyle was co-developer of Macon Manor and, farmer at heart, he also bred
Charolais bulls and raised cattle and hogs commercially. Doyle was a lifelong Rotarian, in
Tullahoma and in Stuart, FL, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow, a member of the Paul
Harris Society, and sponsored his late wife Judy and wife Jan as Paul Harris Fellows. Also, in
Florida, he served on the Board of the Hibiscus Children's Center; as a member of the Town
of Sewall's Point Board of Zoning Adjustment; and the Stuart, FL Sunrise Rotary Club.
Doyle served as Mayor of Tullahoma in 1986 and 1987. Among his accomplishments, he
was proud to have helped spearhead the approval of a "liquor by the drink" city referendum
that brought many new restaurants to Tullahoma. Doyle was honored with Tullahoma's
Community Service award in 1997 and, in recognition of his lifetime contributions to the
City of Tullahoma, the Mayor declared July 8, 2024, as "Doyle E. Richardson Day" during his
last visit to Tullahoma.
Doyle enjoyed a large extended family during his long life. He married his loving wife Janice
Bollinger Richardson in 1998 and, after they moved to Florida, he encouraged her to attend
Nova Southeastern Law School, from which she graduated to join the Florida Bar with him.
She continues to practice law in Jacksonville, FL and Tennessee.
He is survived by his son, JeUrey Doyle Richardson (Mary Ellen "Missy" Neal) of Newport,
KY, and daughter Lee Ann Richardson Owens (David) of Knoxville, TN, from his marriage to
Ann Soesbe Rust (living, of Knoxville); Lee Ann's son Jackson Stuart Craig and daughter
Sydney Ann Craig (children with David Craig), all of Knoxville, TN; and Lee Ann's step-
children Rachel Owens and Sophia Owens.
His is also survived by his wife Jan's daughter Mindy Bean Morgan (Johnny) and
grandchildren Blake, Eli, and Isabella, all of Tullahoma; her son GeoUrey Fair of Harrison,
NY; and her grandson Andrew of Knoxville, TN (son of Melanie Bean Hasson, who
predeceased him, and Taylor Hasson).
He was predeceased by his wife Judy Young Richardson and is survived by Judy's daughter
Helen Dougherty Sewell (Chris) of Tullahoma and grandchildren Patrick Sewell (Toney, AL),
Irene Thomas (Brian, Hixon TN), and Steve (Murfreesboro) and by Judy's son Jim Dougherty
(Jennifer) and her grandson James Dougherty (grandson Sam Dougherty predeceased him),
all of Tullahoma.
Doyle was predeceased by his parents, Tommy and Fannette Richardson, of Good Hope,
GA; his brother Thomas Mell Richardson and sister-in-law Edna (Daniels), of Good Hope,
GA; and his sister Mary Agnes "Ricky" Currie and brother-in-law Roy Currie of Huntsville,
AL. He is survived by his niece Sandra Richardson Malcom (Gerald) and nephew Thomas
Mell "Tommy" Richardson, Jr. (Susan), both of Good Hope, GA, and niece Pam Richardson
Hayes (Keith) of Canton, GA; and nephews Dan Currie (Susan) and Roy Currie, Jr.
(Paulette), both of Huntsville; David Currie of Shreveport, LA; and Don Currie (Patty) of
Houston, TX. He is survived by his mother-in-law Lola Mentch Bollinger of Evans, GA,
whose husband Charles "Chuck" Bollinger predeceased her; brother-in-law Jim Bollinger
(Yolanda) of Evans, GA, and sister-in-law Jackie Norman (Tom) of Chattanooga, TN.
He is survived by too many great-nephews, great-nieces, cousins, step-step-children and
all of their spouses to further count or list – though he would have wanted to – and will be
missed by his family and friends he loved and influenced from a life of significance and
meaning.
Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home in Tullahoma,
with a private family viewing from 4-5 pm and open visitation from 5-8 pm. The memorial
service will be Saturday, Jan. 4, at 1 pm at First Christian Church in Tullahoma, offciated by
Pastor Drew Smith of Ardmore, TN. A family burial service will follow at Rose Hill Memorial
Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the George W. Malcom
Cemetery, 3725 Old Monroe Madison Hwy, Madison, GA 30650 or First Christian Church,
120 West Grundy Street, Tullahoma, TN 37388.
Online condolences may be made at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com.
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.