Wayne Alan Richardson

7.26.1954-7.11.2024

Grumpy, above all, was a protector and a solid foundation for his family.  His love was quiet, serious, and infinitely deep.   If you were fortunate enough to be in his inner circle, you knew what it meant to be taught by him, to be supported unconditionally by him, and to be treasured above all other things. 

Wayne Alan ‘Grumpy’ Richardson was born July 26, 1954, to Wayne Olan and Fern (Franklin) Richardson, in Fort Worth, TX.  He was an only child and an extremely intelligent boy, preferring to read from the encyclopedia over children’s books and playing pretend.  An American through and through, he was a first baseman and he built his first car from scrap parts bought with his own hard-earned money. He loved Texas, the ability to carry a gun, and ties to his family and as such, he lived in Fort Worth all his life.  

In the fall of 1973, Grumpy was not only the first of his family to attend college but he was given a full academic scholarship to TCU where he chose to study pre-med.  His favorite subject was organic chemistry.  He was scientifically published and received numerous awards and accolades.  But most importantly, Alan was lucky enough to catch the attention of a beautiful, sweet and kind sorority girl, Robin Campbell.  They clicked immediately and from thereon they were never apart. They were true soulmates.  

On June 16, 1979, after 8 years of dating and engagement, Grumpy married the woman who would loyally stand by his side for the rest of his life. Together they would take joy rides in his prized L82 1980 Corvette, spend quality time at his beloved Possum Kingdom lake, and enjoy national and international travel. In 1985 and again in 1989 they welcomed their daughters, Whitney and Ashley Richardson and his inner circle grew to include his Princess and his Angel.  

Despite his introverted tendencies, and preference to stand apart from the crowd, he would never miss his daughter’s activities, cheering for them at every dance recital and soccer game.  He valued hard work and tenacity and cultivated these in his daughters driving them to become the successful, independent women that he was proud to brag about to anyone who would listen.  He gave the best advice and was a deeply good and humble man, giving without expectation.  He would lift burdens for others, many times without them ever knowing about it, and he always took care of what he saw as “his.”  

Grumpy valued his brain and his body both as tools which needed to be well maintained.  He completed countless marathons, weight-lifting sessions, bike rides, crossword puzzles and games of solitaire.  He was a voracious reader and he completed books faster than we could supply them, regardless of the subject.  He was extremely strong and his bear hugs and handshakes could proudly crush bones. He derived a sense of completeness from routine, maintenance, and checking things off his to-do list. After a hard day’s work cleaning the pool or doing yard work he enjoyed relaxing in his big comfy chair with a bag of frozen Reese’s.  He loved to watch things that had a dark sense of humor and had the best guffaw, laughing till he would wheeze. 

In 2008 his inner circle grew when he welcomed Jess Davis to the family through his marriage to Whitney.  Grumpy and Jess loved to watch sports together, eat Jess’ delicious food and he would quietly sit and appreciate Jess’ music on the guitar.  Jess was great at getting him outside of his comfort zone and making him enjoy himself and have fun. In 2015, the circle grew again when Ashley married Chris Cook.  Grumpy often mentioned how alike he and Chris were; both engineer-type brains with sarcastic senses of humor and a deep need to be perfect for their families.  He would mention how Ashley had married her father with no shortage of humor and pride. He never worried about his daughters after they found their partners. Knowing that they would be protected and cared for gave him great peace. 

In 2014 he became a grandparent, and he proudly chose the name “Grumpy” as he mentored and supported his five beloved grandchildren, Olan Davis, Everett Cook, Ben Davis, Eli Cook, and his littlest love, Edelle Cook.  We see different parts of him in each of them and it brings us such joy to see the small things (love of sports, collecting, super strong bear-hugs, loyalty to family and his brand of intelligence) sparkle from each of them. He made sure to be a part of their birthdays, holidays, and to cheer on sporting events. He loved to take his TX grandkids on crazy boat rides so they could “catch wind while tubing.” He preferred to read to and take walks to the playground with his IA grandkids.  He prioritized education and eagerly talked to his grandkids about their passions including sports, sharks, dinosaurs, trains, rocks, books, anything! Grumpy’s knowledge and wisdom seemed infinite. 

Grumpy was a pragmatic, good man who led with integrity, always putting his family first. He prized routine and a well communicated plan, was a sucker for dogs, loved a good meal, an action or sci-fi movie, and as much chocolate and peanut butter as his body could consume. He was the Minesweeper King, frugal to a fault, and loved classic rock and jazz (at a reasonable volume). His catchphrases “Situational awareness is key”, “Sucks to be you”, “Gotta roll”, and “Now listen, what you have to understand is..” will echo in our family forever.  There was nothing he couldn’t fix whether it was with his hands, his words, or his duct-tape.  

On July 11, 2024, surrounded by the love of his precious family, he left this earth. The thumbprints he’s left on our hearts will guide us until we see him again.  We know he will continue to protect us, but now, from above. 

He is preceded in death by his loving parents, W.O. and Fern Richardson, who have him wrapped in their arms again. He leaves behind his wife of 45 years, Robin Richardson and daughters Whitney Davis (Jess) and Ashley Cook (Chris). We will continue his legacy and share his stories with his five grandchildren, Olan & Ben Davis and Everett, Eli, & Edelle Cook. 

We believe that Grumpy would have been pragmatic to the end so please don’t feel that you need to send flowers.  If you do feel so compelled, in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the American Heart Association in his honor or contributing to the W.A.R. Family Scholarship to benefit his grandchildren’s future college or technical degrees. 

We will see you again. We will love you forever.  

Live long and prosper. Star Trek to Enterprise. Beam me up Scotty.