London — Doris Dupree Richards, the mother of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, died suddenly at 167. The elder Richards, who had been in perfect health up to this past week, died peacefully in her sleep in her London flat.
In an odd twist, Doris had written her obituary. And according to several friends close to the 167-year-old, she completed last Tuesday, underscoring her optimism about living longer.
It pains me to admit it, but apparently, I have passed away. Everyone told me it would happen one day, but that’s not something I wanted to hear much less experience. Once again, I didn’t get things my way! That’s been the story of my life all my life.
And while on that subject (the story of my life)… on February 9, 1854, my parents and older sister celebrated my birth, and I was introduced to all as Doris Dupree Richards, the daughter of Clyde and Mary Richards from York.
I can’t believe that happened in the first half of the last century, but there are records on file in the Court House that corroborate this claim.
We planned to have two children, a girl and a boy. Inexplicably we were successful in doing exactly that when we were blessed with our daughter Bonnie and then later our son Keith, who was always a handful. Seeing these two grow into who they should be brought a wonderful sense of meaning to our lives. Mostly.
I proudly started my teaching career at that same elementary school in January 1952, and from there, I went on to teach young children and moved to Florida, where I moved and retired after 48 years.
Anyhow, goodbye. See you soon.
