LACONIA ---- Pauline Ada Richards (nee Wilson) of Laconia, NH, passed away on Thursday, August 24, 2023.
Paula was born April 12, 1933 in Norfolk, MA, the 8th of 12 children of Amos and Ruth Wilson (nee Langille). The Wilson clan moved to “The Farm” in Newport, NH, when “Polly” was a young child. She graduated from Towle High School in Newport in 1951.
Paula loved the natural world, flowers, landscapes and especially birds always kept her attention, but family was her most cherished love. Not an hour would pass where she would regale of her parents and eight brothers and three sisters, her four children, nine grandchildren and seven greats.
Paula married the love of her life, Julian Richards in 1956 and raised their four children, as they moved a young family from Laconia, to Brewer, ME, to Lancaster, NH, to Tilton, NH, and finally back to Laconia in 1981, when she and Jules opened the “Tavern on the Green Restaurant”, on Parade Road. Although it was a family run business, Paula was the boss at the restaurant. She ran the front as the hostess, she baked all of the breads and desserts, but she was most known for the jokes that seemed to keep the whole town of Laconia entertained. She and Julie retired to Penny Lane in 2001, where they entertained family and friends for another twenty years! While some people take lemons and make lemonade, Paula could turn a lemon into a peach!
Paula is predeceased by her husband of 66 years, Julian, her son Bill, six brothers (Doug, Don, Aubrey, Charles, Ralph, Norm), three sisters (Laura, Edna, Peggy). Paula is survived by her daughter in-law Christine Richards of Northwood, her daughter Peg Leone and husband Mark of Laconia, her daughter Diana Brown and husband Carroll of Bristol, NH, her son Bob Richards and wife Kathy of Brentwood, NH, and two brothers, Hally Wilson of Newport, NH and Dave Wilson of Ft. Myers, FL. She also leaves her nine grandchildren (Matt Lamb, Griffin Richards, Thomas Bartlett, Chris Brown, Jon Ferrelli, Amanda Bell, Jenn Brown, Aidan Woodwick-Richards and Blake Richards), seven great-grandchildren and a clan of nieces and nephews. “Gram” had such a special place in her heart for her grandchildren, spending time with them for the last forty years, even to her last days, they would fill her with joy and light her eyes.
Next time you hear a wry, little joke, think of Paula…..”Two trees grew in the forest……”
A Celebration of Life for Paula will be held in the style of a Wilson Family potluck at Bob Richards’ residence at 12:30 PM on Sunday, September 10, 2023. For more information or directions please email Bob at [email protected].
For those who wish, please consider a donation in Pauline’s memory to the St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, 406 Court Street, Laconia, NH 03246 or the NH Audubon Society 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 03301.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services and 603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St. Laconia, NH, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit www.wilkinsonbeane.com.