Marcia Kay Richardson

Marcia Kay Richardson

3/23/1936 - 5/26/2024

Marcia Richardson (Clapper) was born March 23, 1936, to Lawrence and Hazel Clapper in Hopewell, Pennsylvania.  As the youngest of three sisters, Marcia was raised as a small child on a small farm in Yellow Creek, PA.  In the early 1940’s her father took a job as an electrician in the Kerr-McGee steel mill and the family relocated to McKeesport, PA.  Marcia graduated high school in May 1954 and in August 1954, she joined the United States Marine Corps.  While assigned as the Executive Secretary to the Commanding General at Cherry Point Marine Air Station, North Carolina, PFC Marcia Clapper met her first husband Juan Santiago (Jimmy) Griego who was a Marine Aviator also stationed at Cherry Point MAS.  They were married in November 1956 shortly after her discharge from the Marines after which she then traveled to the Espanola Valley in New Mexico where she soon was hired at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.  Marcia worked in a variety of administrative professional positions at Los Alamos from 1957 through 1978 where she established many close relationships with co-workers and supervisors.  Marica had two sons during her marriage to Jim; Chester James Griego and Juan Lawrence Griego.  After a divorce in 1972, Marcia married Robert (Bob) W. Richardson in 1973 and they remained together throughout the rest of their natural lives, moving from Los Alamos, NM to Whidbey Island, WA, Springdale UT, and finally coming back to Bloomfield, NM. Marcia became Stepmother to Bob’s two son’s Peter and Forrest.  After Bob’s passing in 2007, Marcia moved back to Espanola to be closer to her two sons, Chester and Juan.

Marcia was lovingly referred to as Marcy by Bob and they enjoyed travelling, raising their dogs and building new homes as she and Bob moved across the western United States.  She enjoyed spending time with her former sister-in-law Rosina Gray, and they would share time together going to the Senior Center and going out to lunch around town.  Marcia was a gifted and talented artist creating her trademark switch plates which she painted with southwest motifs and selling them at local gift shops.  She enjoyed reading, completing word search and crossword puzzles and watching and identifying birds that would frequent her cherry tree in the yard.  She was extremely proud of her family and truly treasured the many friendships she had in the many places she lived.

Diagnosed with cancer on her 85^th birthday, Marcia put up a valiant fight against the disease until her passing more than three years later.  

She was preceded in death by her parents Lawrence and Hazel Clapper, sisters Audrey Edwards and Lois Brallier, husband Bob Richardson and her former husband Jim Griego, grandsons JD Griego and Andres Griego Alvarado.  

She is survived by sons Chester (Theresa) Griego, Juan (Philippa) Griego, Stepson Peter (Jane) Richardson, Nephew Dennis Brallier, grandchildren Lorice, Chris, Marisa, Eliana, and Travis, and five great-grandchildren. 

The family is eternally grateful for the services of Dr. Scott Herbert at Nexus Cancer Center, the nursing staff of Nuclear Care Partners as well as Presbyterian Hospice Services for the outstanding and loving care provided for Marcia during the past several years of her illness.