Father Robert C. Richardson, a priest of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington for more than 50 years, died Oct. 28 at Villa Maria Nursing Center in North Miami, Florida. He was 88 years old.

Born Jan. 6, 1935, Father Richardson grew up in Sacred Heart Parish in Malden, Massachusetts, receiving there the sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation. 

After earning degrees in accounting and business administration from the Bentley School of Accounting and Northeastern University, he became a certified public accountant in 1956 and enlisted in the Army Reserves in 1957, receiving an honorable discharge to begin theological studies in 1960 with the Franciscan order in Pennsylvania.

He left the Franciscans in 1962, and began studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Fall River in 1964. He departed formation in 1967, and worked as the comptroller of Georgetown University before entering formation for the priesthood with The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington in 1969 at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He was ordained a priest on Feb. 13, 1971 at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew.

He was first assigned as parochial vicar to Saint Mary, Mother of God Parish in Washington, D.C., and then to Saint Mary Parish in Rockville, Maryland. He was assigned as parochial vicar in 1972 to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bethesda, Maryland, and in 1975 to Saint Gabriel Parish in Washington, D.C.

In 1977, he was named administrator of Saint Francis de Sales Parish in Benedict, Maryland, and was appointed pastor there a year.

More than 25 years after taking the CPA exam in Massachusetts and earning the Silver Medal Award in 1956 for the second highest grade in the commonwealth, Father Richardson was named as the assistant director of finance at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception with a residence at St. Bernadette Parish, Silver Spring. He served in that role for one year from 1983 to 1984.

 In 1984, he returned to parish ministry and was appointed pastor of Saint Catherine of Alexandria Parish in McConchie, Maryland and of Saint Ignatius Loyola Parish in Hilltop, Maryland. In 1994, he was named pastor of Saint John Baptist de la Salle Parish in Chillum, Maryland.

He retired in January, 2005 and took up residence in Hollywood, Florida.

A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Nov. 8 at Little Flower Catholic Church in Hollywood, Florida. Interment was in Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery in North Lauderdale, Florida.