Obituary of Dr. Delores M Richardson

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8 Dr. Delores M. Richardson was born on December 13, 1942, to the late William & Cassie Bell Baker McCarter of Kinston, North Carolina. She transitioned from this life on February 7, 2022. At an early age, Delores accepted Christ as her Lord and Saviour at the Kinston Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kinston, North Carolina. She was educated by the Kinston City Schools and graduated from Adkin High School. After graduation, she attended Oakwood College, now Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama. She continued her education when she moved to Boston, Massachusetts. She received her Master’s Degree and completed a Graduate Studies Program and an Opportunities Industrialization Management Program from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Committed to her civic responsibility, Delores became actively engaged in her community working with officials on the local, state, and congressional levels. She was the Director of Human Resources for the New England Zoo in Boston, Legislative Aide for the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the former State Representative Shirley Owens-Hicks. She served as a Census Awareness Specialist/Public Relations for the United States Census Bureau and worked as the Executive Director for Offender Aide & Restoration in Raleigh, North Carolina. She was the Acting Executive Director & Training & Student Services Coordinator of Opportunities Industrialization Center in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She received numerous awards and certificates of recognition acknowledging her outstanding leadership and service from the Seventh-day Adventist Churches in the Greater Boston areas, State Legislators, Boston City Councillors, United States House of Representatives, Congressman Stephen Lynch, former Mayor Thomas Menino, former Governor Deval L. Patrick, North American Division -Adventist Single Ministries 2009 Conference-Outstanding Service, Working with the Angry Public, Diversity in the Workplace, Understanding Tribal Indians, Media Workshop, Undoing Racism, Grant Writing, Event Planning, and Communicating with the Public. At the tender age of 12, she had a broad vision of high achievement and a spirit of excellence that was exemplary of her work ethic. She demonstrated this by encouraging, empowering, equipping, and educating her own children, her grandchildren, family, and the myriad of people with whom she came in contact. She spent the last seventeen years as a Disaster Survivor Assistance Specialist and Congressional Liaison with the Department of Homeland Security-FEMA, she worked as a Substitute Teacher at the Berea SDAAcademy where she provided instructional classes to students in the areas of math, reading, writing, and language arts. She was the Campaign Manager of Ezedi Campaign for District 4/Boston City Council and was the Coordinator of Academic/Counseling Services for the Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts where she provided extensive orientation for summer scholars. Delores was a member of the Berea Seventh-day Adventist Church and held memberships in other Seventh-day Adventist local congregations in the greater Boston area serving in various ministries. She served as Elder, Director of the Berea Food Pantry, and was the Founder/Director of the Greater New England Women’s Ministries Day of Prayer Conference reaching hundreds of women to empower them for leadership, ministry, and community service. Over the past two years, men became interested in attending the women’s day of prayer which was an added plus to the conference. She was instrumental in providing life coaching strategies to seniors at the Spencer House, a residential facility for seniors. She was a key-note speaker at several women’s conferences and workshops throughout the various regions and inspired attendees to walk in their purpose and calling. She had a love for proper social graces and etiquette, which led her to launch her ministry and etiquette business. This ministry opened doors to influence young people in a positive way. Her mantra is, “The steps of a good woman (man) are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in her (his) way.” Psalm 37:23 Executive Board Memberships: President, Caribbean Foundation of Boston, Inc.; Mattapan Community Health Center-20 years serves as Chair of Membership Committee, Member of Camp Victory Lake Renovations Advisory Board, Community Services Director and Intergovernmental Liaison and Advisory of Berea Seventh-day Adventist Church, Boston, MA., member of the Atlantic Union of Seventh-day Adventist Executive Board; Appointed Community Liaison by Berea Seventh-day Adventist Church to serve as a member of Black Ministerial Alliance and Garrison Trotter Community Neighborhood Association. Past Board Memberships: Atlantic Union College Board of Trustees; North American Division End of Year as a Layperson; Appointed by former Mayor Thomas Menino to serve on the Mattapan Economic Advisory Committee; former Mayor Kevin White as Community Liaison for Community Development Corporation of Boston; Board of Directors Fayetteville State University Homemakers Program. North American Division Family Life-Adventist Single Adult Ministries (ASAM). She was preceded in death by her parents, William & Cassie McCarter; two sons, Brian Keith McCarter, Charles Louis Rox; two brothers, William Washington Wooten, William Lee McCarter, and her loving godmother, Earline Allen. Many, many memories of Dr. Delores M. Richardson will be cherished by her devoted children Niquita Pamela Rox, San Antonio, Texas, Stephanie Delores Rox-Strong, Huntsville, Alabama; Cheryl Lynne Rox and Steve Alexander Rox, both of Boston, Massachusetts, a special daughter-in-love, LeSheryl Wooten, Charlotte, North Carolina, godson, Ralph Robinson, Boston, Massachusetts. One brother Calvin (Valerie) McCarter, Charlotte, North Carolina; two sisters Marion (Willie) James, Edith “Dede” Lewis, both of Kinston, North Carolina. Grandchildren Charisse Rox-Felton, Robert Andrew Mace, II, Pastor Aaron Javon (Tasha) Mace, Brittany Elise (Amos) Fatoma, Richard Allen (Wendy) Davis, Jr., Takisha Rox, LaQuan Miller, James Louis Miller, Sequoia Newby, Haley Townsend; 17 great-grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended family and friends who will cherish her memory.