After her husband and children told her how greatly she was loved and in the presence of a dear friend, Nelda Jean Bass Richardson passed peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Savior early morning on Friday, September 3,2004, at Logan Regional Hospital.

Born in Poplarville, Mississippi, to Walter Carl and Nellie Mae Smith Bass on January 21, 1923, Nelda was one of five daughters and four sons. As a girl during the Great Depression, she worked hard, played outdoors, loved school and church, and swore she would never marry one of "those Richardson boys."

She graduated as Valedictorian from Pearl River High School in 1939 at the young age of sixteen. She then attended Pearl River Junior College, graduating in 1941 and waiting until November 14, of that year to elope with Bland, one of those Poplarville Richardson boys.

Through the World War years, Nelda moved with her husband from Mississippi to Georgia to Florida to Berlin to Texas and Montana, subsequently working for the War Department, the American Red Cross, the Marinship Shipyard building Liberty ships, and General Clay's staff in Berlin. In 1950 Nelda moved with Bland, who had been severely burned, and her two small children to San Francisco. During the next two difficult years during Bland's hospitalization she not only cared for the children, worked for the Adjutant General's Presido office, but she also wrote poetry as therapy. Her family later published the beautifully inspirational poetry to share with others.

For the next twelve years Nelda was the underlying strength and support for Bland as he recovered, returned to college, and launched a new career. While employed by the Public Housing Administration in Fort Worth, Texas, she received the Superior Service Award. In Missoula, Montana she was Secretary-Treasurer for the Forest Service Wives Club while holding several offices in the honorary Beta Sigma Phi Sorority as well as being their 1964 Valentine Princess.

Logan, Utah has been Nelda's home since 1964. After retiring in 1976, from Hill Air Force Base as an Item Management Specialist for the Air Force Missile System, Nelda pursued her loves of hiking, hunting, reading and raising granddaughters, Erin and Jolyn during summers. She loved snowmobiling annually to Yellowstone Park, traveling with Bland, hiking up to USU football and basketball games, hiking beautiful country and raising beautiful flowers. Her bowling team, Bible study groups and prayer teams were extended family. Downhill skiing was her passion. She was consistently and quietly generous to Billy Graham Crusades, Samaritan's Purse, and several other Christian organizations. She was a member of Maranatha Baptist Church in Logan and also loved and attended Emmanuel Baptist Church in Hyrum. The thickest folder in her meticulously organized filing cabinets, labeled "Funnies," is stuffed with wonderful silliness, and the favorite sound of Nelda's family and friends was her frequent, ringing laughter.

Nelda is survived by Bland--her loving husband of 62 years; her four sisters-Yvonne, Joyce, Arlene and Ruth-by her son Jack, his wife Denise, grandson James, great-grandsons Tyler and Jordan, by her daughter Lynda and her husband John and granddaughters Erin and Jolyn.

Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, Sept. 7, 12:00 noon at Allen-Hall Mortuary, 34 East Center, Logan, UT. Flowers may be sent there. If you prefer, donations may be sent to the Nelda Richardson Forrest Lawn Memorial Fund, c/o USU Community Credit Union, P. O. Box 446, Logan, Utah.