In Memoriam: Margery "Margie" Richardson

A Boston native who spent her childhood and early adulthood in Chestnut Hill, Ms. Richardson started working at BC in 1981 and in 2005 joined the University’s Supported Employment Program (SEP) for adults with developmental disabilities.

Ms. Richardson was a familiar figure in the Corcoran Commons dining facility, often conversing with customers and fellow employees as she went about her job.

In a 2017 interview with the Boston College Chronicle, she talked about her daily tasks. “I clean the chairs and tables,” she said, adding with her characteristic hearty laugh: “Not just the table tops, the whole table!”  

Meeting “the nice people” who came to Corcoran was one of the favorite parts of her job, along with the variety of duties.

“I like moving around every day,” she said. “Why not?”

After graduating from Brookline High School, Ms. Richardson traveled abroad extensively with her mother, including to Japan—her favorite country to visit, she said. She spent the last 27 years of her life at a group home in Brookline and participated in an annual summer program at Gateway Arts, a studio art center, gallery, and store supporting meaningful lives and careers in art for adults with disabilities.

“In every smile she shared and every laugh she sparked, Margie wove a tapestry of joy that brightened our days,” said SEP Coordinator Judy Coleman. “Her 43 years of dedication in the dining hall were not just a testament to her work ethic, but a celebration of her vibrant spirit and the love she had for people. Though she may be gone, her laughter echoes in our memories, reminding us that the true measure of a life is the happiness it brings to others.”

Ms. Richardson is survived by her sisters Anne, Alison, and Emilie, sister-in-law Serina, her nieces and nephews, and extended family. She was predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Margaret Richardson, and brothers Joseph Jr., Randolph, and Philip.

A funeral Mass was held for Ms. Richardson in June.