Clarence Robert Richardson, 92

Clarence Robert Richardson passed from this world peacefully at the age of 92 on September 13 at Elizabeth House in Hendersonville, NC with wonderful nurses and doctors providing care and his family members all getting to say their goodbyes. Known as Rob to his family and friends, he was the son of the late James Harold Richardson and Mary Lorraine Ostberg Richardson. He was born in Lovelock, Nevada, January 10, 1931.

After quitting high school at 17, his mom signed the paperwork so he could join the newly formed Air Force instead of being sent to reform school. He was headed for officer training school at West Point when he came down with pleurisy and spent 15 months in a variety of military hospitals.

After his discharge from the service, he returned home to attend the University of Nevada at Reno where he met his future wife of 68 years, Donna Ruth Ames. They were married on September 6, 1955. Their first child, Karen, joined the family the next spring.

Rob graduated fifirst in his class from UNR in 1957 with a BS, then decided to further his study of nuclear physics. He was accepted at a number of prestigious schools but chose Johns Hopkins University because of its family-friendly nature. Rob and Donna welcomed their son, Jeff, in April of 1958. The family lived in the Bradford on 33rd and St. Paul Streets in Baltimore in a one-bedroom apartment while Rob completed his doctoral program, earning his PhD in 1963.

The family then moved to Long Island, NY so Rob could work at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. During this time, he was part of a group that discovered the elementary particle, Omega Minus.

After four years, the Richardson family moved back to Maryland so Rob could work at what was then called the Atomic Energy Commission, later becoming the Department of Energy, at the Germantown location. He spent the next 25 years there, with one notable exception. From the summer of 1970 to summer of 1971, the Richardson family spent the year in Geneva, Switzerland while Rob worked at CERN Lab.

Rob received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award (2018), was a recipient of the Exceptional Service Award from the Department of Energy (1987), and earned the Herz Gold Medal for First in Graduating Class, UNR (1957).

Always one ready with a joke, Rob will be missed for his wit, his intellect (including being the grammar police), and making sure there was a place for everything and everything was in its place. While he did not suffer fools lightly, coining the phrase “mingies” meaning mean and stingy, he eventually learned to bite his tongue. Rob greatly enjoyed music, happy hours, and traveling, and he and Donna visited nearly 90 countries together.

He has left a hole in the hearts of those he leaves behind including his beloved wife, Donna of Hendersonville, NC, his daughter Karen Richardson Yoho (Joe) of Mt. Airy, MD, his son Jeff Richardson (Gloraima) of Miami, FL, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Clint Yoho (Sarah) and their daughter, Emma, Briana Yoho Long (Chris) and their children, Ethan and Olivia, and Danielle Yoho and her daughter Kyla, Sean Richardson (Karina) and their children Lucas, Mila, and Gabriel, Eric Richardson (Gabrielle) and their children, Logan and
Alexandra, as well as Jeff’s stepchildren Maria Acosta (Andoni) and their children Angel, Alessandro, and Mia, Mary Ann Medina and her children Samantha and Nicholas Lacorra, and Ernesto Medina, Rob’s younger brother Jim Richardson (Robin Snagg), many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Rob was predeceased by his older brother, Albert Richardson, and his great-grandson, Trent Yoho.

Honoring Rob’s wishes, his body is being donated to science for research. The family is happy to get together at any time with those wishing to reminisce about Rob. Donations may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or the World Wildlife Fund.