John Ellsworth Richardson, 77, of Mason City, IA, passed away peacefully at home in his sleep on Thursday, October 31, 2024.
A Funeral Service will be held at 1:00 PM Friday, November 8, 2024 at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd St. NE Mason City, IA.
Visitation will be from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM Thursday, November 7, 2024 with a Scriptural Wake Service to begin at 6:30 PM at Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapel.
The family suggests memorials be directed to Newman Catholic Schools.
John Ellsworth was born May 17, 1947, the son of Florence Eleonore Luise (Faber) Richardson and Donald Ellsworth (Don) Richardson of Mason City, IA. On June 19, 1971 John married Marjorie K. (Schneider) at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Mason City. Marjorie died July 8, 2024. He was the father of son Keith, a brother to Thomas Arnold Richardson, and a husband-in-law to William Jr., Rosann Marie, Linda and Shirley Schneider.
Those left to cherish his memory are his son, Keith Paul Richardson; grandsons Leo Bentley Richardson and Fritz Riley Richardson; sister-in-law Marie; sister in-law; Sharon Schneider; as well as many nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his wife Marjorie, an unborn infant daughter Camille; his parents, in-laws; and brother Tom.
John was gifted with innate mechanical and electrical ability. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1965, and continued to display particular aptitude for automotive and industrial technology. After completing an Associates Degree at NIACC, he joined Toepfer Electric in 1967, becoming a junior partner in 1976 and co-owner in 1982, staying with the business until retiring in 2018.
John was a lifelong fan of the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and was a board member of the River City Society For Historic Preservation in Mason City in the late 1980s and early 1990s, instrumental in assisting this organization which purchased and moved the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Dr. G. C. Stockman house in 1989 to its current location, then fully restored the structure. He continued landscaping its grounds for many years. Tours are available to the public: https://www.stockmanhouse.org/ He personally visited a tremendous number of FLLW’s works across the country, drafting detailed floor plans of each one in the days before this information was more easily accessible. He designed his own family home in 1985 with clear elements of the Prairie school style, most of which were hidden inside: vaulted ceilings, sophisticated lighting, and many accoutrements, which provided a beautiful home environment for his family. Visitors into the entryway were greeted with a beautiful subtle backlit brick-lined colored-glass structure that formed the unmistakable shape of a cross, in recognition of his Creator, and the guiding principal to his and wife Marge’s relationship with Christ.
John was a devoted husband and father to his wife and son, taught the importance of treating others with respect in both business and personal matters, promoted entrepreneurship, and conducted himself with the utmost integrity. He and his wife were extremely proud of their two grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.
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