Irl Newton Richardson

Irl Newton “Newt” Richardson, 94, of Winfield, passed away Friday, August 2, 2019 at William Newton Hospital in Winfield surrounded by his family.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Thursday, August 8, at the First Presbyterian Church of Winfield. Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery. No visitation is scheduled. Memorial contributions may be made to the Winfield Public Library or the First Presbyterian Church of Winfield. Contributions may be left in the care of the Shelley Family Funeral Home of Winfield.

Newt was born to G.W. and Mary (Newlon) Richardson at their rural home south of Kingman on March 30, 1925. He attended a rural grade school and graduated from Kingman High in 1943. He served in the U.S. Army from 1948 to 1950. On December 26, 1948 he married Doris Warner in the Presbyterian Church of Arlington, KS. He saw many changes; from working horses to piloting his plane, from wheat steam threshers to L-2 Gleaner Combine, making concrete blocks and feed bunks in high school to helping run a successful construction company.

Newt and brother, Leonard, started a construction company in 1955, building first in Wichita. In November 1955, Winfield was chosen as the base of operation and he moved his family from a farm in Spivey, KS to Winfield.

The Winfield Presbyterian Church became the family church where he served as a trustee and Sunday school teacher. He was also active in the community, serving as a City Commissioner, the Mayor, and on the board of directors of the Winfield Country Club and of Micro-Lite, headquartered in Kansas City.

Except for Newt’s family and friends, Richardson Brothers Construction was a major part of his life. He and his brother received many awards, including the Butler Manufacturing Career Builder Award and the Southwestern College Business Builder Award.

After selling the construction branch of their business in 1986, he remained active in farming and managing rental properties. But his greatest enjoyment was interacting in the lives of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Newt survived many serious injuries over the years. At the age of 11, his team of horses was spooked and he fell under the disk. His injuries were so severe, it took years to completely heal. As an older teenager, he was buried alive on a neighbor’s farm when a well caved in on him. Then, in his late 20’s, he was working to bring electricity to rural Oklahoma when the power was accidentally turned on, charging through his body, going out his climbing spikes, and blowing a hole in his foot. This caused him to change professions. Most recently, he survived after having a blood clot in his lung. The ER doctor remarked, “You must be right with God. Most people don’t get a second chance.”

He was preceded in death by brothers Wallace, Tom and Leonard Richardson; sisters Louise Lord, Lois Tucker and Agness Cragun; great-granddaughter Caylee Inglett; and sister-in-law Eleanor Richardson.

Newt is survived by his wife, Doris; children Mary Alice Simmons, Stanley Irl Richardson (Ann), and Susan Lowe (George); grandchildren Aric Inglett, Scott Lowe (Dana), Luke Simmons (Hanna), Jeffrey Newton Lowe (Brooke), Joshua Simmons (Elizabeth), Jon Richardson (Janice), and Ross Richardson (Selby); great-grandchildren Chris Bungart, Chelsea Inglett, Cassey Inglett, Chloe Inglett, Drake Newton Lowe, Corbin Lowe, Weston Lowe, Brock Lowe, Emil Simmons, Melker Simmons, Vendela Simmons, Avery Lowe, Tucker Lowe, Blakely Lowe, Arden Simmons, Wyatt Simmons, Adelyn Simmons, Audra Simmons, Nolan Richardson, Everly Richardson, Lola Richardson, and June Doris Richardson;  sister Hazel Whomans; and many nieces and nephews, including Earl Newton Richardson and Paul Newton Richardson.

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