Jesse Floyd Richardson

April 09, 2008 11:56 am

— Jesse Floyd Richardson, M.D., Col., USAF (Ret), 76, died in his home in Stillwater on Thursday, April 3, 2008.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 11, 2008, at First Baptist Church with Dr. Timothy Walker officiating. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
He was born on March 31, 1932, in Harmon County, Okla., to Harmon and Audie (Coble) Richardson and was raised in Gould. Jess graduated Salutatorian from Gould High School in 1950 and went on to earn an associate’s degree in agriculture from Cameron College in 1952.
Following graduation, he was accepted into the University of Oklahoma premed program and in 1954 pledged the Phi Chi Medical Fraternity.
In 1958, Jess graduated with a degree in doctor of medicine from the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine. During this time he met (over a medical school teaching cadaver) Donna Jean “Dee” McQuain from Perry, and they were married July 2, 1955. Upon graduation from Medical School he entered an internship at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.
In 1959, he joined Dr. Charlie Martin in private practice at Perry and was later drafted under the “Doctor’s Draft.” He chose the U.S. Air Force as the branch of service whereby he was assigned to Fairchild AFB as a flight surgeon.
In 1961, he was transferred to the USAF Headquarters in Wiesbaden, West Germany, and was head of the Flight Surgeons Office and Deputy Hospital Commander at Rhein Mein AFB and Templehauf AFB. His responsibilities included rotating the flight surgeons in and out of West Berlin and all medical evacuations out of Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Upon returning to the United States, he was assigned as Chief Flight Surgeon at Little Rock AFB, Ark., and was later assigned to Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas, where he completed his orthopedic residency.
In 1972, he became board certified in the specialty of orthopedic surgery and in 1976 was elected as a Fellow in The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Between 1970 and 1975 he assumed the position as chairman of the Orthopedic Department at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, and Travis AFB, Calif.
His last assignment was at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., as Chief of Orthopedics of the USAF Academy Hospital, Medical Liaison and USAF Academy Team Physician.
During his military career, he was the recipient of numerous awards, medals and commendations, including several Meritorious Service medals, Legion of Merit, Air Force Commendation Medals, and he was named a member of the Society of Air Force Clinical Surgeons.
Jess retired from the United States Air Force in 1979 as a full Colonel. He moved his family to Stillwater, where he enjoyed a successful and rewarding private practice as an orthopedic surgeon until his retirement in September 1997.
He was a member of the Board of Trustees and Chief of Staff of Stillwater Medical Center and was a member of the Board of Directors for the Stillwater Country Club and the Knife and Fork Club.
He was the president of the State of Oklahoma Orthopedic Society, Payne County Medical Association, a member of the Western Orthopedic Association and a life member of the Oklahoma State Medical Association.
Jess was an avid outdoorsman and had a great love for NCAA sports, especially the OSU Cowgirls Basketball Program. He loved the game of golf, crossword puzzles and a good game of cards. To his family he was considered a combination of Indiana Jones, Marlin Perkins and Hawkeye Pierce.
He had a private pilot license and is now soaring over the wild skies of his beloved Alaska. He was a gifted surgeon and a caring husband and father.
Survivors include his wife, Dee Richardson of Stillwater; three daughters and their spouses, Debbie and Pete Barnes of Cushing, Michelle and Scott Griffin of Rogers, Ark., and Cece and John Spedding of Denver, Colo.; four grandchildren, Jesse Absher, Curt Barnes and Tommy and Hannah Spedding; and two sisters, Patricia Lane-Brown of Sydney, Australia, and Judy Townsend of Hemphill, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Judith Karman Hospice, P.O. Box 818, Stillwater, Okla., 74076; Stillwater Medical Center Foundation, P.O. Box 2408, Stillwater, Okla., 74076; or OSU Cowgirl Basketball Program, 102 Athletics Center, Stillwater, Okla., 74078.