Dorothy I. Richards
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Dorothy I. Richardson, the Cheyenne Frontier Days' "Lady in Red", age 99, died November 11, 2021 at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center following a brief illness.
Dorothy was born February 5, 1922 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her father was Walter Richardson, a native of Edinburgh, with a long family ancestry in Scotland. He was an engineer and a captain in the Royal Navy. Her mother was Mary Agnes Milicent Irene Hugh-Jones, a native of Wales. Dorothy was their only child.
Dorothy's mother died in 1924 when she was two years old. Her father was stationed in India with the British Navy. She was raised by her paternal grandparents, George and Isabella Richardson in Edinburgh. Dorothy attended a girls' school in Edinburgh and was active in sports, especially field hockey and lacrosse. Following high school, she worked as a teller in the Union Bank of Scotland during the early days of World War II. She was engaged to be married to a pilot in the Royal Air Force who, sadly, was shot down over Germany near the end of the war. Shortly thereafter both of her grandparents died.
In 1947, Dorothy immigrated to the United States and settled in Cheyenne living with her aunt and uncle, Mary and Willie Richardson. A week after arriving she took a job as a teller at the Stockgrowers Bank. She worked at the bank, now Wells Fargo, for the next 40 years retiring as head wire transfer clerk. During her career Dorothy became active in the Cheyenne community and immersed herself in Wyoming culture. She made many friends.
Dorothy took the course to become a U. S. citizen in the early 1950's. She was officially sworn in as an American citizen in 1953 by U.S. District Judge Ewing T. Kerr. She was extremely proud of earning her U. S. citizenship.
Dorothy's uncle, Willie, was a long-time mechanical engineer for the Union Pacific Railroad in the Cheyenne Roundhouse. Through Willie, Dorothy became involved with the Union Pacific section of the CFD Parade. Beginning in 1948, Dorothy rode sidesaddle in her handmade signature red dress and bonnet in every parade for the next 50 years. After all of her horses had "retired", she continued riding in the parades in the "mechanically horse powdered" convertible cars. Her finale parade rides were in 2019.
Following retirement, Dorothy took many international trips and always enjoyed her annual journey home to Scotland to visit family and friends.
After retiring from her banking career, Dorothy began working at the Wyoming State Museum as "Princess Laughing Scot", attired in buckskins and beaded moccasins. In this role she shared her knowledge of Native American history with hundreds of school children. Her close friendship with Princess Blue Water of the Lakota Sioux nation inspired Dorothy to learn all she could about the western native American culture and impart it to others.
During the years of the candlelight holiday tours of the Historic Wyoming Governor's Mansion, Dorothy served as front door hostess, cheerfully greeting and welcoming visitors to these festive events.
Dorothy was a long-time member of the Scottish Society of Southeast Wyoming, serving as society president for many years. She presided over many Robert Burns dinners and the celebratory "Piping of the Haggis". She was strikingly adorned in the Richardson family tartan, silk blouse and sash, and sterling silver coat of arms of her clan. She was also a long-time member of the Laramie County Chapter of the Wyoming State Historical Society and participated in many of its annual treks.
Dorothy served many years as docent and hostess at the new Governors' mansion for Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer and First Lady Sherri.
Dorothy had an encyclopedic knowledge of English and Scottish history and culture covering a millennium of time. She was also very well versed in the history and culture of Wyoming. This treasure of knowledge she gladly shared with anyone who wished to be her conversation partner.
Dorothy will be remembered for her active and self-sufficient life which spanned nearly a century, for her cheerful and distinctive Scottish brogue, and her intense loyalty to her two homes, Wyoming and Scotland.
Services will be private. Cremation is under the care of Schrader, Aragon and Jacoby Funeral Home. Condolences may be made to the family on-line at www.schradercares.com.