Adamah is sorry to share the tragic news that Missy Richardson, our Human Resources colleague, has passed away. We are stunned and heartbroken, and send our deepest condolences to all Missy’s loved ones, near and far.
Missy’s colleagues and friends gathered at Pearlstone Center to celebrate her life and share their memories of her:
Missy was our community’s mirror for joy. She was the safe space, the no judgement zone, the comforting place where we could feel whatever we were feeling. Always happy to see us, Missy was the place where we could have a full range of human emotions. Missy was the light that let us feel safe to speak truthfully and honestly in full joy.
Eve Wacchaus, Chief Operating Officer, Adamah
Missy was like comfort food. Conversation was endless and I talked with her just because. It’s like time would stand still when I spoke with her, but just like that I had to get back to work. Just like that time was gone, and so is Missy. I’m going to Miss her. She was selfless – always thinking and doing for others. I hope that we can take that attribute of hers and apply it.
Devin Liely, Dishwasher, Pearlstone
It’s hard to think that Missy isn’t here. She was always kind to me. We shared many conversations when she worked in the afternoon. I would check on her to see how she is doing. Share jokes and laughter. Share real life stories about our parents, cats, life struggles, food, etc. I was able to open up more than I ever had with anyone because I felt safe, and she would always make time to listen. I miss everything about her. Her smile, energy, kindness.
Her legacy will live forever. She is a true definition “Love and Warmth.”
Chris Wilson, Retreat Services Manager, Pearlstone
As I thought about what I wanted to say today, I remembered a column that I read in my college newspaper. The columnist was a law student living with HIV in the mid-1990s when we were only beginning to see treatments that would make HIV a long-term illness instead of leading quickly to death. This columnist would often written about what it was like being a student and living with that uncertainty. In one column, he was reflecting on how he would want to be remembered if he died young. He wrote about wanting people to do acts of service, to make the world a better place, and to connect with each other. He ended the column with this line. “Grief is no legacy I want to leave.” That line has always stuck with me and I’ve thought about it often in this last week. I can imagine Missy saying that – “Grief is no legacy I want to leave.”
So now we think about the legacy that Missy has left us. For me, her legacy is gentleness and calmness. She had a calming spirit.
Ashley Pressman, Chesapeake Region Program Director, Adamah
May Missy’s memory be a blessing, and may we all carry forward the light and love that she carried every day.
