Geraldine Marie Richard

Geraldine Marie Richard

Geraldine Marie Richard, age 79, peacefully gained her angel wings on Monday, February 5, 2024, surrounded by her loving family.  She was born to the late Beatrice Welch Smith and Joseph Evans Smith on December 19th 1944, in Bridge City on the Huey P. Long Bridge in the back of a taxi on the way to the hospital.  Geraldine knew how to have a good time and have fun, she loved to cut a rug and dance to her favorite oldies or swamp pop songs.  She was known for her feisty, outgoing personality and always said what was on her mind.  Geraldine worked in many different jobs from picking tomatoes as a kid, to popping shrimp heads at the shrimp factory, cafeteria cook, LSU fan, retail work at Kmart and Big Lots, but her favorite job was being a grandmother.  She put the GRAND in grandmother, who was always willing to show the kids how to really play and use their imagination, crafting and making crosses out of driftwood, having nerf gun wars, and playing in the mud, she was right there in the middle of it.  Geraldine loved her family more than anything and lived a very full life making special memories that the family will cherish forever.  She was very strong willed and never met a stranger, and was the neighborhood grandma that all the kids came to see.  Geraldine was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend to all who knew her and is already deeply missed.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Terrel Richard; children, Paul Smith (Tricia), Melissa Richard Rhodes (Mark), Heather Richard Bickford (Brian); precious grandchildren, Paul Smith Jr., Parker Smith, Ellee Smith, Jeremy Bickford, Wyatt Bickford, and Olivia Bickford; great-grandchild, Derek Smith; siblings, Eugene Smith, Linda Smith Genusa, Catherine "Cattie" Smith Adams, David Smith, Albert Smith; as well as numerous nieces and nephews; and we can't leave out her fur baby, T-Boy.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Joseph and Beatrice Smith; sisters, Shirley Smith Kaiser and Brenda Smith Mouton; and her first fur baby, Killer.

Family and friends are invited to attend the visitation on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home in Hammond from 10:00 a.m. until the Celebration of Life Service at 2:00 p.m.  Deacon Nat Garofalo will officiate the services.  

Arrangements have been entrusted to Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home.