Heidi Richards
1951-2016
This past October 13th Heidi Richards passed away from complications of pancreatic cancer. Born January 31, 1951, to Gerard Keil and Joan MacDonald Keil, she grew up in Bellevue. Her summers were spent on Dolphin Point with her grandmother, Betty MacDonald, and at rented beach houses. There she grew a fondness for Vashon Island and all the great times it provided. She attended Bellevue High School and went on to attend the University of Washington where she graduated with a degree in Art and Education. She taught art at numerous elementary schools in Bellevue and spent the last half of her teaching career at Newport High School teaching ceramics, stained glass, drawing and painting as well as computer art. In 1979 she married Kim Richards. They had two wonderful children, Heather and Devin.
Heidi and her family spent vacations sailing the Salish Sea for months at a time. The family also skied every weekend through the winter and took ski vacations with friends. Heidi loved to hang out at the family’s cabin in the mountains of Eastern Washington where she would hike, swim in the river and read. In the 1990s she convinced her husband with a firm voice, “We need to buy property on Vashon.” With Kim’s arm firmly twisted by Heidi, that is what they did. The property stayed vacant on lower Gold Beach until Heidi’s retirement at which point she proclaimed they were moving to Vashon. Heidi engaged an architect and builder and spent many days collaborating on the designing and building of the house.
Moving in was her dream come true. Wonderful views of the South Sound and Mount Rainer pleased her each and every morning. Strong coffee in hand she would sit on the bedroom porch and read. During the low tides she would walk the beaches looking for agates. They would invariably end up in the washing machine along with her ChapStick. When time permitted she would throw pottery on her wheel and make bowls, plates and the like for friends.
With Heather living in Southern France she would make the trek with Kim for several months every year. Heidi and Kim would live with Heather and her family, sharing the joys of the two wonderful grandchildren, Estelle and Owen Martinetti. Summertime was when the extended family would arrive on Vashon for the season. Daughter Devin would join in on her days off. As Heather’s husband, Fabrice, said, “The best place to be in the summer is Vashon.”
Heidi made many friends on Vashon through all the activities she participated in. Heidi taught at the schools on Vashon. She volunteered at the Community Care Center serving meals with her friends Chris, Chanda and Rick. The last two years of her life were difficult, but you would never know as her attitude was so upbeat and positive. Her life story will continue to inspire others to live life to the fullest. Her one wish was for all of you to spend quality time with your loved ones. Heidi will be missed by many, but we will all be better for knowing her.
A celebration will be held at Camp Burton on October 30th at 1:00pm.
