Evelyn G. Richardson turned 100 years old earlier this year and attributes her long life to hard work and independence, said her son, Harry Richardson, Jr. and throughout her long life, she has loved gardening, ceramics and crocheting.
She was born at home in Christiansburg in January of 1919 and attended the one-room Ironto School with her five brothers and sisters. She grew up to work at the Hercules plant, J Freezer and Co. and finished her career at George Preas’ Red Lion Inn, the a landmark Blacksburg hotel popular among long-time Hokie fans, where she was awarded Sheraton’s Housekeeper of the Year. She met her husband Harry Richardson, Sr. through a friend’s aunt’s husband who worked on the railroad with him.
She is tenacious, he said. “Whatever life brings her, she keeps moving on.” Evelyn drove until she was 90 and lived at home until she was 96 when she moved Kroontje Center. For her birthday, a luncheon was held at Warm Hearth Village Center attended by family, friends and work associates, Mayor Mike Barber and former Mayor Richard Ballengee who all spoke of her as a life-long citizen of Christiansburg. At one point, Evelyn knew everything about Christiansburg: who married who, where businesses were or used to be and on and on,” her son said. “After her husband died, she took a month-long trip out West with some lady friends, and loved every minute of it.”
