Shirley S Richardson

SHIRLEY S. RICHARDSON was born to the late Edd Simmons and Florence Scales on May 4, 1945, in Yanceyville, NC. She was the 6th of ten children. On Monday, November 24, 2025, she peacefully departed from this life.

Shirley was educated in the public schools, where she graduated from Booker T. Washington High School, and went to college at Cross Business College in Greensboro, NC. She loved sports and played basketball on the school team. While attending a baseball game, she met the love of her life, Johnny. On the first date he took her to a wrestling match, and they have been wrestling ever since. They got married on April 12, 1966, and from this union two children were born: Johnny Jr. and LaSandra.

She worked at Cone Mills and Gibarco. She found enjoyment cooking for the family, especially on the holidays when they all gathered at her house. She also liked traveling, taking multiple family members to join these adventures. She loves the Lord above all things, always showing love to a lot of people and providing help in many ways, sometimes financially.

Several years after her children were grown, she became a foster mother for many children, including Quincy, Lemart, Brandon, and Andres. It was her mission to help kids and fulfill the love some of them were missing. She was an extraordinary mother and wife. Her family loved her beyond measure, as well as everybody that met her.

Pastor Richardson, as she was known to so many, was raised in a God-fearing home by her grandmother. Shirley taught Sunday School, then accepted her call to ministry. She was licensed and ordained, becoming the Pastor of Mt. Carmel Holiness Church in 2001.

Shirley loved visiting the sick and praying for them, helping the needy and those less fortunate. Her life's mission was to win souls for Christ and to share God's love. She could strike up a conversation with strangers and make them feel like she had known them for years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edd and Florence; brothers, William, Charles, and Jimmy; sisters, Barbara, Mary, and Thelma.

She leaves her most cherished memories with her husband of 59 years, Johnny Richardson; two children, Johnny Richardson Jr. (Bink) and LaSandra Garland (San); daughter-in-law, Evelyn Richardson; seven grandchildren, Lakeisha, Dominique, Gabriel, Gary, Michael, Orangellys, and Abranshka; seven great-grandchildren; brother, James; sisters, Catherine and Peggy; and a host of other loving family and friends.

This servant of God will be missed.

A funeral service will be held at Sharpe Road Church of Christ located at 2400 Sharpe Rd., Greensboro, NC 27406 at 11:30am. Family visitation will be held from 11-11:30am. Funeral services have been entrusted to Allen & Associates Mortuary/Cremation LLC.