Beverly Farrington Richardson, whose father and mother represented the territory of Hawaii in Congress in pre-statehood days, died Aug. 7 in Washington, D.C. She was 76. Delegate’s daughter
known as animal loverBEVERLY FARRINGTON
RICHARDSON / 1924-2001OBITUARIES
By Kelliann Shimote
kshimote@starbulletin.com"She was one of the sweetest, most caring ... people that you could ever meet," said her son, Hugh Richardson Jr., who lives in Virginia, where his mother died of ovarian cancer.
"I can say personally where I got my love for the outdoors and for animals: It was definitely from her."
Beverly Richardson was the adopted daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Farrington.
Joseph Farrington was Hawaii's territorial delegate to Congress from 1943 to 1954. He was succeeded in that post by his wife, Elizabeth, after he died.
Both also worked at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin: Joseph as managing editor, then president and general manager; and, later, Elizabeth as the paper's first female president.
Richardson was born in Honolulu on Aug. 31, 1924. She attended Punahou School. Later she attended Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., where she majored in child psychology.
Richardson gained some attention in 1950 as "a little gal from Hawaii (who) stole the show" when she danced hula at an amateur charity show in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the American Heart Association. Her performance apparently upstaged a song by Vice President Alben Barkley and his wife, according to a news report.
Also in 1950 she married then-Army Maj. Hugh Forrest Richardson, with whom she traveled extensively before settling in the Washington, D.C., area in 1961.
"She was the love of my life for 51 years," Hugh Richardson Sr. said. "(She was a) loyal companion, loving mother, a friend of the community and the animal world."
While raising her three children, she was an associate member of the Congressional Club and Junior League of Washington, D.C., for many years. She was also an active member in St. John's Episcopal Church in McLean, Va.
"She was kind, generous, loved animals," said Marian Mosteller of Virginia, a friend of Richardson for 36 years. "She had birds, cats and dogs all through the years. She was loyal. She was thoughtful. She was almost like a sister. I'll miss her."
Richardson is survived by husband Hugh; children Mary Elizabeth LaPrade, Joseph Richardson and Hugh Jr.; and four grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Monday. Her family will bury her ashes at 11 a.m. Aug. 21 in McLean, Va.