Obituary for Bruce William Richards
It is with the heaviest hearts that we announce the passing of Bruce W. Richards, 78, of Colorado Springs, CO. Bruce was reunited in Heaven with his wife of almost 54 years, Nancy, on February 20, 2022, just 23 days after she left us.
Bruce was born on June 15, 1943 in Trenton, NJ to William and Elizabeth Richards. The second of 5 children, he graduated Ewing High School in 1961, where he participated in Jr. ROTC, and earned the rank of Eagle Scout with Boy Scouts of America. After graduation, he tried his hand at banking and joined the Army Reserves. In 1966, he began active duty in the Army at Fort Jackson, SC, where he went to Officer Candidate School to be commissioned as an officer. He then served the next 20 years as a field artillery officer, climbing the ranks to Major, where he retired in 1987. During his career, he was awarded the Army Service Ribbon, Air Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with six Bronze Service Stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal with 2d Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
While at Fort Jackson, he met his love, Nancy Swofford. They were married May 3, 1968 in Hawaii while he was on R&R from his first tour in Vietnam. Their marriage lasted through 2 tours of Vietnam, 11 duty stations, including two overseas postings in Turkey and Germany. They had two children, Daphne Richards Burlingame and Bruce Richards Jr, and instilled in them a love for travel, experiencing different cultures, kindness and generosity. They moved to Colorado Springs in 1988 to begin their retired Army life, where Bruce worked at Sears Automotive, and was a substitute teacher. Bruce volunteered with the Pikes Peak Restorative Justice Council, serving on the board, helping run the Restorative Justice conference, and as a community member for restorative justice circles where his no-nonsense common sense was welcomed to help victims and perpetrators come to a resolution of accountability and reconciliation. Bruce also served as a volunteer for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Victims Advocate Unit for many years, where he met families in a time of need with compassion and empathy.
Bruce lived every day honoring God, his family, and his country. He served as a Deacon at First Presbyterian Church, with his favorite ministries being delivering Easter lilies and communion to those that were house-bound. He and Nancy served Get-Set preschoolers by making lunch and snacks. His family meant the world to him, from being a protective older brother to his sisters, to a strict and loving father, to the best Pop Pop to his 3 grandchildren, Laurel and Grant Burlingame and Indyra Richards and 2 step-grandchildren, Rhemington and Kolton Sokol. All of the kids have fond memories of trips to the Zoo to feed the giraffes. He was at every soccer and lacrosse game yelling about calls from the referees, every band concert, and every Boy Scout Court of Honor.
Bruce is now reunited in Heaven with his wife, his parents and his older brother, Dick Richards. He will be greatly missed by those he has left behind, to include his children and grandchildren, his siblings Patricia Dinnell, Renee Dzurinko and George Richards, and his many nieces and nephews, extended family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, please help keep the Deacon’s fund at First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs helping those in need at firstprescos.org or mail a check to 219 E Bijou St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, put in the comment Deacon’s Fund in honor of Bruce Richards. Memorial service to be held March 11, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, followed by full military honors at Pikes Peak National Cemetery at 1 p.m.
Bruce was born on June 15, 1943 in Trenton, NJ to William and Elizabeth Richards. The second of 5 children, he graduated Ewing High School in 1961, where he participated in Jr. ROTC, and earned the rank of Eagle Scout with Boy Scouts of America. After graduation, he tried his hand at banking and joined the Army Reserves. In 1966, he began active duty in the Army at Fort Jackson, SC, where he went to Officer Candidate School to be commissioned as an officer. He then served the next 20 years as a field artillery officer, climbing the ranks to Major, where he retired in 1987. During his career, he was awarded the Army Service Ribbon, Air Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with six Bronze Service Stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal with 2d Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
While at Fort Jackson, he met his love, Nancy Swofford. They were married May 3, 1968 in Hawaii while he was on R&R from his first tour in Vietnam. Their marriage lasted through 2 tours of Vietnam, 11 duty stations, including two overseas postings in Turkey and Germany. They had two children, Daphne Richards Burlingame and Bruce Richards Jr, and instilled in them a love for travel, experiencing different cultures, kindness and generosity. They moved to Colorado Springs in 1988 to begin their retired Army life, where Bruce worked at Sears Automotive, and was a substitute teacher. Bruce volunteered with the Pikes Peak Restorative Justice Council, serving on the board, helping run the Restorative Justice conference, and as a community member for restorative justice circles where his no-nonsense common sense was welcomed to help victims and perpetrators come to a resolution of accountability and reconciliation. Bruce also served as a volunteer for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Victims Advocate Unit for many years, where he met families in a time of need with compassion and empathy.
Bruce lived every day honoring God, his family, and his country. He served as a Deacon at First Presbyterian Church, with his favorite ministries being delivering Easter lilies and communion to those that were house-bound. He and Nancy served Get-Set preschoolers by making lunch and snacks. His family meant the world to him, from being a protective older brother to his sisters, to a strict and loving father, to the best Pop Pop to his 3 grandchildren, Laurel and Grant Burlingame and Indyra Richards and 2 step-grandchildren, Rhemington and Kolton Sokol. All of the kids have fond memories of trips to the Zoo to feed the giraffes. He was at every soccer and lacrosse game yelling about calls from the referees, every band concert, and every Boy Scout Court of Honor.
Bruce is now reunited in Heaven with his wife, his parents and his older brother, Dick Richards. He will be greatly missed by those he has left behind, to include his children and grandchildren, his siblings Patricia Dinnell, Renee Dzurinko and George Richards, and his many nieces and nephews, extended family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, please help keep the Deacon’s fund at First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs helping those in need at firstprescos.org or mail a check to 219 E Bijou St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, put in the comment Deacon’s Fund in honor of Bruce Richards. Memorial service to be held March 11, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, followed by full military honors at Pikes Peak National Cemetery at 1 p.m.