David Bruce Richardson, founder of the Alabama Baptist Conference of the Deaf, died April 15. He was 90.
A native of Gadsden, Richardson studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he met his wife, Patsy. In 1956 they were appointed as Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board) missionaries to work with the deaf in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The following year the couple decided to call Montgomery home and begin a more targeted deaf ministry throughout the state of Alabama. After seeing other states’ annual conferences for the deaf Richardson started one in Alabama in 1959 to give the deaf opportunities to train as leaders.
He also headed up deaf ministry for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions from 1961 until he retired in 1990, and he served in deaf ministry at First Baptist Church, Montgomery, where he was a member for 61 years.
At the time of his death he and Patsy had recently moved to Decatur and joined Somerville Baptist Church.
Richardson is preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, who died March 27. He is survived by his son, Ronald; daughter, Nancy; and one grandson. (TAB)
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