Annette Richards

Annette Richards, age 85, of Gulfport, passed away on January 28, 2022, in Gulfport.

She was preceded in death by a son, A.J. Richards, Jr; her parents, Salvatore and Mary Privitera; a brother, Phillip Privitera; a sister, Gloria Spadaro; and a son-in-law, David Sabia.

Mrs. Richards is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, SMSgt Arthur J. Richards, USAF, Ret; her children, Lt Col Donna M. Richards, USAF, Ret, and Stephen A. Richards; 2 sisters, Arlene (Bernard) Inganamorte and Rosemarie (Dennis) Lineen; a sister-in-law, Marion Privitera; a brother-in-law, Donald (Patti) Richards; many nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.

She was a native of Brooklyn, NY and was a longtime resident of Gulfport.

A woman from Brooklyn, NY and a man from Philadelphia, PA…

Annette always said she wanted to travel the world. One evening on a girl’s weekend in Wildwood, NJ, she walked into a nightclub and met a man. A man whose blue eyes and dark wavy hair captivated her. Art took one look at the suntanned brunette beauty in the white dress, left his date and asked Annette to dance. The next morning, Annette told her girlfriends she was going to marry Art…and that was just the beginning of their 63 years together.

Three children later and many moves while Art was in the Air Force and then with Lockheed Aircraft, Annette got her wish. While a young bride and they were stationed at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, Donna and AJ were born. At the following assignment to Dover, DE, along came Stephen. Moving to Keesler AFB, MS a few months after Hurricane Camille, showed the Richards their future retirement home. Art’s career assignments also took them to Turkey and Saudi Arabia, where they spent vacations in wonderful countries such as Kenya, Greece, Cyprus, Switzerland, and other European nations. Throughout their later years, they enjoyed traveling around the US visiting their children as well as many of the friends they had made.

Annette was a wonderful wife and mother. No matter where they lived, or the conditions under which they lived (can we say a Camille flooded motel and a semi-condemned trailer in Turkey), she made a cozy and comfortable home for her family. She always placed her husband and children ahead of herself.

Although raising two children with Cystic Fibrosis could be difficult at times, she made it look easy. She and Art would just pack up the necessary medical equipment and medicines and off they would go, whether it was camping or traveling around the country.  Annette ventured into the work force after her children were older, working as a bookkeeper and secretary. One of her favorite jobs was being the secretary and C-130 Hercules aircraft radio coordinator for the US Military Training Mission in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

She is loved and will be forever missed.

A graveside service will be held at 12:30 pm Tuesday, February 1, 2022, at Biloxi National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to be sent to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

The Riemann Family Funeral Home, Gulfport, is serving the family and online condolences may be offered at www.riemannfamily.com