Verna E. Richardson

Verna Richardson, née Guidi, a devoted mother, loving wife, and the heart and soul of her family, passed away on September 8, 2026, at her home in Atherton, California. She was 92 years old.

Verna was born on March 7, 1934, in Ukiah, California to Bob and Evelyn Guidi, and it was there that she grew up surrounded by the warmth of family and the rich traditions of her Italian heritage. She graduated at the age of 16 from Ukiah High School with the class of 1950.

After school, Verna began her working life as a bookkeeper at Masonite, a role she held until her children were born and her attention turned toward raising her family. Even then, her gift for numbers and organization never went to waste. For many years she diligently managed the books of the family grape vineyard and ranch in Talmage, keeping everything in careful order until the ranch was sold in 2018. She approached that work, as she did everything, with dedication and quiet competence.

Verna shared her life with her husband, Harry Richardson, and together they built a home filled with love, activity, and good food. She was a familiar presence in her community, giving generously of her time as a volunteer with the Ukiah Shamrock 4-H Club, where she served as a Club Organizer and Sewing Project Leader. Sewing was one of her great joys, and she delighted in passing that love along to the girls she taught, especially her own daughter. Her devotion to young people extended to the PTA as well, where she served as President and was honored with the Honorary Service Award for her contributions.

Those who knew Verna knew two things for certain: she was a fiercely competitive game player and a truly fantastic cook. Her homemade meat raviolis were legendary, a specialty born from her Italian roots and the many wonderful Italian cooks she grew up learning from. To sit at her table was to feel welcomed and cared for in the most genuine way. Her box lunches sent with her children to school and her husband to work were the envy of classmates and colleagues.

Yet for all her talents and accomplishments, nothing ever mattered more to Verna than her family. She was proudest of them above all else, and she remained the steady center around which her loved ones gathered. Her warmth, her generosity, and her love will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate enough to know her.

Verna was preceded in death by her husband Harry; her parents Bob and Evelyn Guidi and her brother Bob Guidi Jr.

Verna is survived by her children and their spouses, Denise and Woody Shackleton, and Glenn and Kimberly Richardson; her grandchildren (4); her great-grandchildren (7), along with the many memories and traditions she leaves behind for them to carry forward.

In remembering Verna, her family invites all who loved her to hold close the warmth of her table, the joy of a good game, and the unshakable love she had for her family.