Barbara Jo Richards

1939 - 2025

Barbara Jo Richards

December 31, 1939 - January 23, 2025

Kennewick, Washington - Barbara Jo Richards passed away on January 23, 2025, with family by her side. Barbara was a beloved mother, grandmother, friend, and an engaged community member who touched the lives of all who knew her.

Born in Bend, OR., Barbara is the daughter of Walter H. and Josephine E (Maycock) Booth. She spent her early years in Redmond, Oregon, before moving to a small farm in the Spokane Valley, Washington, in 1950. Growing up, she enjoyed riding her horse Danny, operating the tractor, and playing the saxophone in her high school band. Barbara graduated from West Valley High School in 1957.

Barbara met Wyman H. Richards at a youth church dance, and they married shortly thereafter in 1958. The couple lived in Spokane with their first two children before moving to Kennewick, WA., in 1966. There, they had two more children. Throughout her life, Barbara was a devoted homemaker for her family. On hot summer days, she enjoyed taking her children as well as the neighborhood kids to the river to swim, fish and explore.

Barbara and Wyman divorced in 1982, and she moved back to Spokane, where she met and later remarried to William LaPrath. Together, they were active in the square-dancing community, as well as in social groups like Parents Without Partners and the Fraternal Order of the Eagles. In 1999, Barbara and William returned to Kennewick to be closer to her family during her retirement years.

An avid gardener, Barbarba spent countless hours working on her beautiful garden beds. Barbara enjoyed antique shopping and decorated her home beautifully with the "treasures" she found. Barbara was a canoer as a young adult and took up kayaking in her later years. Barbara loved her clubs, she was active with the Homemakers, Prairie Shufflers square dance club, Fun Fit and Over Fifty club, Herb club, Basin Bloomers Garden Club, TOPS, and Curves. She also volunteered her services for over ten years with the Sails Outlet - Safe Harbor thrift store. Barbara was very sociable and outgoing and knew many people from being involved with various clubs over the years. She liked to get out of the house every day and often ran into someone she knew; she had an amazing memory for people's names!

Barbara is survived by her four children, Melissa Richards (Greg), Curtis (Shari) Richards, Steven (Dolly) Richards, and Denise Featherly; five grandchildren, Steven, Kelsey, Nicholas, Brian, and Dion; as well as her second husband, William. She is preceded in death by her parents and her first husband, Wyman.

Barbara's adventurous and fun-loving spirit will be deeply missed by her family and all who had the privilege of knowing her.