Obituary of Yvette Richardson

On November 2nd, 2021 (All Souls Day) Yvette Irene Limoges Richardson, our loving mother, peacefully passed away with family at her side and ascended into the arms of Our Lord.  She was 88.

Yvette was born May 25, 1933 to Anatole and Evelyn Limoges in Fitchburg, MA.  She and her only sibling, Gladys, received a staunch Catholic upbringing from their French-Canadian parents.  She attended grade school at St. Francis where she first learned to speak English (friends and family will agree that she perfected the “gift of gab” and enjoyed many lasting conversations).  She graduated from St. Bernard’s High School in 1951 and subsequently Boston’s Forsyth School for Dental Hygienists in 1953.

She worked her first years as a hygienist for the State of Massachusetts and met dad at a local dance while he was stationed there in the army.  They were married June 27, 1959 and moved to Pullman, WA so dad could complete his law enforcement degree at Washington State University.  She always loved their Cougar Gold Cheese.  She accepted a job with Dr. Clifford Robertson DDS across the border in Moscow, ID as Idaho’s first dental hygienist.  Michelle (Chellie), the eldest, was born in 1960 and it was off to the races! By 1967 Renee, the youngest of six siblings, was born in Seattle. Do the math!  Our family had outgrown the Washington State Trooper salary, so mom herded us like cats cross-country to Maryland and the White House.  Dad had left ahead of us and was already in D.C. training with the U.S. Secret Service.

Mom was always our rock and guiding force as dad’s job took him away from home for weeks at a time.  How she managed to organize and keep us all together in those years is a wonder. She was definitely a woman of great faith. She had the patience of Job and we certainly tried it. She always claimed that we were going to put her in the "nut house" someday but she somehow managed to maintain her sanity.

After a few years in Washington, D.C., she herded us out west to Boise, ID in 1970 where she was able to secure a dental hygienist position with Dr. Terry Gustavel DDS.  She finished up her 50 plus years as a hygienist in 2010 having worked with Dr. Jim Gorczyca DDS and Dr. Mark Cushing DDS at the Idaho State Penitentiary.

Throughout mom’s working career, she was always a mother first.  She had us all at St. Mark’s church on Sundays and had family dinners nightly, and at least once a week as we grew older.  She drove us to school (good schools that we didn't appreciate back then), all our sports events, swimming lessons, football, basketball, dance lessons, cheerleading, boy scouts, girl scouts.  We are most sure she was the original super mom!  She loved our road trips to visit extended family back east as well as down south in Texas.  She loved the outdoors and enjoyed our summer camping trips to Cascade, Warm Lake and Red Fish Lake. In her later years, she enjoyed her quiet time on the Salmon River at the Polly Bemis Ranch located in the Frank Church Wilderness Area.  Mom always kept in touch with her family and friends back east and traveled often to see her classmates as well as cousins, Celeste Limoges Hurley and Robert Limoges.  Mom loved her thirteen grandkids immensely and couldn't give or get enough "shuggies" from them!  Mom’s favorite events were family holidays, BBQ's and big family get-togethers.  We know she will still enjoy all of the chaos while in heaven!  She is dearly loved and will be missed by all who knew her.

Yvette belonged to the St. Marks Catholic Women's League, the Idaho State Dental Hygiene Association, and the American Dental Hygiene Association.

She is survived by her children:  Michelle "Chellie" Van Lith (Joel), Thad B. Richardson (Jan), Pamela S. Brady (Nick), Lawrence “Larry” L. Richardson and Renee A. Richardson.  Her surviving grandchildren:  Jaime, Nicole, Danielle and Lauren Van Lith; Connor Richardson, Tony and Jason Sawyer; Nicholas, Cory and Carli Brady; Lindsay, Thad, Seth and Payton Richardson; Macey Gilbert.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Anatole and Evelyn Limoges, her sister and brother-in-law, Gladys and Howard Grainger, her daughter, Deborah L. Richardson, and her former husband Mack W. Richardson Jr.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to:  Bishop Kelly Foundation 7009 W. Franklin Rd. Boise, ID  83704; St. Marks Catholic Church 7960 Northview Ave. Boise, ID 83704; Alzheimer's Association Greater Idaho Chapter PO Box 4746 Boise, ID 83711

The family would also like to thank all the caregivers and employees at Willow Park Assisted Living, Morning Star Memory Care and Keystone Hospice for loving and caring for our mother as if she were their own.  Little “Frenchie”, as they all called Mom, appreciated all the love and caring.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 1:00 pm Friday November 12, 2021 at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Boise. Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home. Services may be live streamed at www.stmarksboise.org or www.Accentfuneral.com

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