Shelma Jean Keen Richardson

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Shelma, our loving and devoted mother and friend to all whose lives she touched, on January 23, 2025. She left us peacefully and is now resting in the arms of her heavenly father. Shelma Jean Keen Richardson was born on December 15, 1941, in the Fork Ridge community of Tazewell County, Virginia, and was the daughter of the late Albert Theodore Keen and Artie Absher Keen. Shelma’s life was a living example of Ephesians 4:32, “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” She truly exhibited the true compassion of God, encouraging others to, “Do what’s right and do what’s good. Be kind and help others because the world can always use one more kind person. She was a very non-judgmental person, she never looked at your past, but at who you could be in the future. Shelma was affectionately known as a shining light in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her journey on this earth was marked by love, compassion, and unwavering faith in God. The family asks you to remember her by the way she lived her life, and for the profound impact it had on the lives of those she touched. She never sought recognition, or a pat on the back, she knew her rewards would be given to her in heaven. She loved “service jobs,” serving and helping others in her community. She and four other people decided that there were so many people in the area who needed help, they went out and canvased the area, making a list of the low-income families, drew up a proposal and presented it to the governor, asking for assistance in starting a program to help these families. And so, the Tazewell County Development Corporation was brought into existence to help those in need. It later transitioned into the Clinch Valley Community Action which is still helping and serving our community today. During the Vietnam War, she went to work for the Red Cross, where she worked out of the Pentagon. After retiring, she still wanted to find a way to help her community. She always loved the Green Thumb program that brought older workers back into the workforce, this Green Thumb program transitioned into the Experience Works Company, where older retired individuals were encouraged to re-enter the workforce and share their knowledge with the younger generations. Shelma was a devoted Christian of the Pentecostal faith, whatever area she lived in, she dedicated herself to the church she attended, always helping in any way she could. She was a loving mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. In her spare time, she loved going to her vacation home in Florida and going to her favorite place in the world, the Beach. At the beach, the calming sounds of the ocean would carry away the sounds of the world around her and she would bask not only in the sun but in the tranquility of her surroundings. Although Shelma’s physical presence may no longer grace our lives, her spirit will continue to inspire and uplift us. May her memory be a blessing, and may we carry forth her legacy of love, compassion, caring, and giving in all that we do. Those who went on before her in addition to her parents were her loving husband, Cecil Richardson, Sr, and her sister, Rena Pauline Woodall. Carrying on her loving spirit and legacy are: Her son, Cecil Richardson, J,r and his wife, Linda of St. Paul, VA Sisters: Claudine Marshall of Tazewell, VA Carolyn Lewis and her husband, Jack of Lexington, KY Beverly Farmer of Rosedale, VA Her grandchildren whom she dearly loved, Lance Mullins and wife, Leslie of Tazewell, VA Melinda Sabo and her husband, Jamie of St. Paul, VA Great-grandchildren, A.J. Little Whirlwind and Noah Mullins Several nieces, nephews, and a host of family and friends also survive. The family invites you to a Celebration of Life for Shelma on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 2:00 PM at the Hurst-Scott Funeral Chapel in Tazewell, Virginia. We will celebrate the life she led and share our favorite memories we cherish of her. Visitation will be from noon until the time of service. Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Tazewell VA, serves the family of Shelma Richardson, and those wishing to express sympathy online may do so at www.hurstscottfuneralhomes.com.

Shelma Jean Keen Richardson

December 15, 1941 - January 23, 2025