Jean Marie (Oesch) Richardson, born April 19, 1936, passed away Thursday, August 14, 2025, at her home in Holland, Michigan. In her 89 years she had strong ties to Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. She was the daughter of a cheesemaker whose Swiss family fled the Russian Revolution. They immigrated to dairy country, USA, and Jean spent her childhood in Green Bay and remained a Packers fan for life. An only child, she and her parents moved to Chicago for her teenage years, where she graduated from Roosevelt HS. There she got to see many live performances, including Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, and the Beatles. They spent summers in the family cottage in Shawano. Chicago was where she married Roger Richardson, the most handsome man she had ever seen. With their two young boys, they moved to Holland, Michigan. Jean raised her kids, worked various jobs, volunteered for Hospice, and consistently worked on needlework, winning Best of Show every year at the Fair. Jean and Roger spent their last ten years together in a wooded home in Ludington, where Roger fished and hiked and lit a fire in the fireplace nightly. He died much too young, and in the thirty years she was widowed, she cared for her mother and got to know her grandchildren well.
She will be deeply missed by her two sons, Ron Richardson and Russ (Marian) Richardson; grandchildren Holden (Brittany) Richardson, Jared Richardson, Elise (Matt) Jones, and Phoebe Richardson; and great-grandchildren. She was kind, never complaining, quick to laugh at any joke, and loved a good card game. Rest in Peace, Jean.
A visitation will be held at Dykstra Funeral Home – Northwood Chapel, 295 Douglas Ave, Holland, MI 49424, on Tuesday, August 19th, from 6pm to 8pm.
A funeral service will be held at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, 3151 120th Ave, Holland, MI 49424, on Wednesday, August 20th, from 11am to 12pm with an hour visitation prior, and a luncheon at the church immediately following.
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