A Wilson Family Tree

Notes for Oscar Gabriel Richard


From New Orleans Times-Picayune, 9 to 10 May 2013 (posted to Gathright mailing list 24 Sep 2013 by Carolyn Gathright):

RICHARD Oscar Gabriel Richard, III died Tuesday evening at the age of 91 surrounded by his children and grandchildren. He was born in Baton Rouge on December 7, 1921. He grew up in Sunshine, Louisiana, where his mother was the postmaster and his grandfather established a dry goods store. The day after his graduation from LSU's School of Journalism in June, 1942, Oscar enrolled as an aviation cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps, was selected as a bombardier and eventually assigned to the 384th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force, stationed at Grafton Underwood, England. On its third mission, Oscar's B-17 bomber was hit by flak over Abbeville, France. After releasing his bombs, He bailed out but was captured and taken prisoner by the Germans. He withstood interrogation, solitary confinement, and endured almost two years in captivity at Stalag Luft I, in Barth, Germany. Following the prison camp's liberation by the Russian Army in June 1945, Oscar made his way home to Sunshine in July, 1945. On September 20, 1947, he married Billie Ruth Gathright. Oscar began his career at LSU shortly thereafter, ultimately becoming the Director of Public Relations before retiring in 1984. During his tenure he directed the operations of the Rural Life Museum and the LSU Museum of Art. After retiring from LSU, Oscar spent much of his time designing and creating fine pieces of furniture for his five children and thirteen grandchildren. Hewas inducted into LSU's Ole War Skule Hall of Honor in the fall of 2003 and into the Manship School of Journalism's Hall of Fame in 2009. He rarely missed an LSU home football game, including the entire 2012 season. Oscar and Billie were among the first parishioners at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. He also served on the board of directors of the Foundation for Historical Louisiana. In 2000, the LSU Press published his memoir of his experiences as an aviator and prisoner of war, entitled Kriegie: An American POW in Germany. As a result ofhis book's success, he was in great demand as a speaker. He regaled audiences with his encyclopedic knowledge of history combined with his own fascinating stories of his POW and combat experiences. All of the men in his B-17 bomber crew made it safely home and all remained close friends until their deaths. Oscar was the last of the group to pass. Oscar will be greatly missed by his children and their spouses, Kathleen Richard Callaghan and John Broussard, Donna and Michael Rainone, Kelly and James Brown, and Reed and Lori Hahn Richard. He was preceded in death by his wife Billie of 55 years, their beloved daughter Linda Richard Abadie, his parents, Oscar Gabriel Richard, Jr. and Abigail Callaghan Richard, brothers Bobby and Barry Richard, and sister Betty Richard Fernandez, and grandson William David Brown. Other surviving members ofhis family include grandchildren, Max Magbee, Caitlin Magbee, Chris Rainone andhis wife Kristen, Louise Rainone Musial and husband Mike Musial, Gabriel Rainone and wife Haley, Robert Rainone, Raymond Rainone, Ellen Abadie, KellyAbadie, James and Rebecca Brown, Benjamin Brown, Nicholas Brown, Samuel Richard, great-grandchildren Gus and Louis Musial, and son-in-law Chris Abadie. He is also survived by sisters Carolyn Richard Landaiche of Sunshine, LA and Virginia Richard Harkins of Baton Rouge. Visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government Street, Baton Rouge, from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, May 10 and from 11:30 to 1:00 on Saturday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church with a funeral mass following at 1:00. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Rural Life Museum, the LSU Foundation, or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above.    ...Mike Wilson
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