The Legacy of Supt. Alexander Richardson of Amite, LA

Supt. Alexander Richardson and wife
Melissa Wheat Richardon

Alexander Richardson was born on October 25, 1907 to Thomas Alexander Richardson and Emma Vining in St. Helena Parish. In an effort to support his family, and also to teach his children that success comes with hard work. Alexander held several jobs prior to opening his own business.

He worked on federally funded W.P.A. He cut the right of way for the Montpelier to Greensburg Highway during the Depression Area; He sold Life Insurance and worked at Good Shepherd Funeral Home; He worked as a gas station attendant in Houston, Texas. He also built prefabricated houses at Galette's Manufacture site in Amite as a master painter.

With nothing more than an eight grade education and a strong supporting wife at his side Alex Richardson, Sr. decided in the late 1950s or early 1960s to open his own funeral home and insurance agency in Amite, LA. This accomplishment was made possible because of the "Grandfather Clause." This clause said that if you learned a trade and learned it well, then you were permitted to operate the in fields of your acquainted trade. He mastered his trade while working as a mortician and insurance agent at Britton's Funeral Home in Columbia, Ms of a period of five years. He was also employed at Good Shepherd Funeral Home in Amite, La.

Today, four funeral homes proves their dream of reality. Richardson Funeral Home, Inc., and Insurance Agencies was considered at that time to be top's in all of its service areas. The home office is still based in Amite, LA., with three branch offices existing in Kenner, Covington, and Hammond, La.