Wayne D. Richards of Frankford died peacefully at Newton Medical Center on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, after a long illness. He was 79.
Son of the late Walter and Dorothea Richards of Beemerville, Wayne attended Sussex High School. He then enlisted in the Navy and served aboard the USS Vigil, a radar station ship of the Continental Air Defense Command, receiving an honorable discharge in 1966.
Wayne operated his own business, Richards Painting Service, for many years before working for Sussex County, with County Transit when it started and later with facilities management, working in the Judicial Center in Newton until his retirement.
Wayne was a longtime firefighter with the Beemerville Fire Department, and he enjoyed gardening and spending time working on old cars. He was a founding member of the Wanderer’s Car Club. He was very proud of his customized 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 convertible that he restored with his son, Walter. He was the Northern New Jersey State Colonel of the Kustom Kemps of America.
He was also a proud member of the American Legion Post 213 of Sussex and was a volunteer with the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show.
He led a life of service and was a reliable friend to many. He was known for his ability to fix anything and would often state that “necessity is the mother of invention.” Whether he was painting the steeple of a church, fine-tuning an HVAC system or restoring an old car, Wayne always got the job done with attention to detail.
Arguably, though, Wayne’s greatest passion was his family. He was married for 52 years to his wife, Doris, and provided the utmost care for her until she passed in 2017 after a long illness.
He set a great example of hard work, dedication, generosity and perseverance until the very end for his children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his sons, Walter and his wife Sharlene and Michael and his wife Lexi; four grandchildren, Devon, Julia, Greyson and Kyla; his sisters, Janice Bathgate and Carol Hough; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Wayne was predeceased by his brother, Norman.
An interment and graveside service will be held Saturday, March 4 at noon at the Beemerville Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Wayne’s name to the Sussex County Farm & Horse Show, P.O. Box 2456, Branchville NJ 07826 or to the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 99 Sparta Ave., Newton, NJ 07860.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Pinkel Funeral Home, 31 Bank St. (Route 23), Sussex.
Online condolences may be offered to the family on www.pinkelfuneralhome.com