Elva Richardson

Elva Broderick Richardson was always there for her children, grandchildren, friends, siblings, neighbors, and church community, with an endless supply of love and empathy. Every one of her ten children has expressed how much they loved knowing they could find her waiting for them when they came home, especially after a difficult day, and how she could make them feel safe and unconditionally loved. As one of her grandchildren recently described, she "gave the best hugs that would just envelope you and make you feel so loved."

Elva was born February 23, 1941, to Hillard Reuben Broderick and Clara Dina Crystal Hill Broderick, and was the 13th of 19 children in her family. She grew up in Roosevelt, Utah. It was challenging after her father died (when she was 8 years old), but her family stuck together and carried on.

On February 3, 1961, just before her 20th birthday, she married David Earl Richardson who, throughout the 62 years of their shared earthly life, called her his "Most Beautiful."

Elva brought so much life and love into the world, with ten children, fifty-seven grandchildren, and forty-seven great-grandchildren. Having and being with children was one of her greatest joys. Interviewed by the local newspaper shortly after giving birth to the second of two sets of twins (having two 2-year-old boys and two newborn girls at the time), she did not focus on being fatigued or overwhelmed but expressed her love for and desire to have even more children!

People who knew her frequently described her as loving, kind, Christlike, and full of empathy. She could always tell if anyone around her felt down and would make an effort to soothe and comfort them. She always wanted everyone to feel welcome, included, and happy.

Elva loved holidays and always tried to make everyone's birthday and holiday experiences as special as possible. She also loved camping and visiting the canyons near home. She had a silly side and loved to share jokes and funny stories (even if embarrassing). If something struck her as funny, she could giggle uncontrollably for a long time afterwards, even in situations where it would be best not to laugh.

Throughout her life, Elva was dedicated to the gospel of Jesus Christ. She served in a wide variety of callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, worked in the temple and helped with many service projects. With her husband as her companion, she completed several missions in the Salt Lake Valley, one focused on family history work, another on welfare, and a third on employment education in the prisons and jails of the area. Elva and David loved to joke about being sent to prison. She loved to make meals for families who had recently had a baby or other big family events. She always took her calling as a mother seriously, ensuring her family had regular family prayer and scripture study and knew her testimony and love of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She really taught and lived the two great commandments: to love God and love your neighbor.

She earned a degree in accounting from LDS Business College, but her greatest desire was to spend her life focused on her family. Despite financial challenges associated with having a big family and knowing that working outside the home might have resulted in more reliable cars and appliances, nicer clothes, bigger vacations, the opportunity to see a movie somewhere other than the dollar theater (with no popcorn), she always wanted to focus on her family and be there to help her children whenever needed. While her young family could never afford to fly for a vacation, they loved having adventures together as far as they could drive in old, run-down vans that broke down frequently. Her children especially loved knowing their mom was always there for them whenever they needed her.

For some time, Elva's earthly body struggled, and she expressed a readiness to reunite with her husband and family members who had passed on previously. Her daughter Angela Daisie Richardson McCauley took Elva into her home and was Elva's main caregiver during her last year, making sure she had all the comfort and love anyone could hope for. Elva's other children and grandchildren, siblings, and friends also visited, called, and helped out frequently to ensure she was surrounded by people she loved.

She was welcomed into the afterlife by family members who preceded her in death, including her husband David Earl Richardson, her parents Hillard Ruben Broderick and Clara Dina Crystal Hill Broderick, her sisters Mary Dawn Broderick (married to Vernon), May Broderick (Sylvan), Hilldra Fay "Heidy" Broderick, Verena Broderick (James), Clara Broderick (Aldean), and Luelma Broderick (Kenneth), and her brothers Jerrald Richard Broderick, Dee E. Broderick (Marsha Ann), Dillard Spencer Broderick (Marilyn), Clifford Heber Broderick, Owen Hillard Broderick (Ruth), John Howard Broderick (Joyce), Lee R. Broderick (Gena Bee), and DeRae Broderick (Pauline).

She is survived by her ten children, David Ellis Richardson (Bonnie - deceased, Judy), Dana Earl Richardson (Linda), Sylvia Richardson Bushman (Steve), Cynthia Richardson Harris (Jay), Crystal Elaine Richardson Crookston (Kendall), Ronald Broderick Rodríguez Richardson (Omar), Angela Daisie Richardson McCauley (Todd), Camellia Ann Richardson (Mitch), Rosalee Richardson Bird (Scott), Thomas Charles Richardson (Krista), and their families. She is also survived by her sisters, Carol Lee Wilson (Garland) and Ruby "Kit" Allred (Kenneth), and by her brothers, Thomas Reuben Broderick (Karma) and Roy Alfred Broderick (Charlotte).

Elva passed away surrounded by family and loved ones on the evening of July 30, 2025, at the age of 84 from age-related complications. While those she leaves behind will miss her, they can find comfort knowing she is waiting for them in her heavenly home while providing love and comfort from there, until the rest of her family can return home and embrace her once again.