Harry Richburg Sr.

HARRY RICHBURG, SR., was born on May 31, 1927 in Summerton, South Carolina to the late Hunter and Bertha Cain Richburg. He was the husband of Mary House Richburg for fifty-four years whom he loved dearly. He departed this life on May 31, 2011 after a brief illness. He began his education in Summerton, South Carolina and continued it while serving on active duty in the United States Army for over twenty years. He enjoyed the discipline style of life the military had to offer and remained a soldier at heart after he retired. During his military career he was decorated with numerous citations and commendations which included the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and a host of others. He retired honorably in 1971. He wasn’t one to sit around and loved to stay busy so after his military career was over he started searching for new ventures. He attended trade schools and became a licensed barber and also a licensed HVAC mechanic. He partnered with his brother-in-law and tried his hand as a grocery store owner for a while, but in all of his projective was to care for the well being of his family. Being a retiree of the military and knowing the stability the government had to offer, he sacrificed some of his dreams and went to work as a civil service employee at the Army/Air Force Publication Center in Middle River, Maryland in 1972 where he remained until retiring once again in 1989. He loved fishing and working in his garden and was also an avid sports fan. What have him the most joy, besides spending time with his wife, was fixing things. Occasionally, he would take on what seemed to be huge, insurmountable projects around the house. He had a knack for breaking these projects down to simple steps and then proceeding with his repairs. He would demand the help of his sons on most of these projects, which was his way of teaching them that all things were possible. Harry was known as a strong, quiet man who loved his family and would go the extra mile to meet their needs. Although a strong disciplinarian with the will and fortitude of a lion; those closest to him knew that he had the heart of a lamb. Even after becoming ill, he would place treats in different locations in his room knowing that his great-grandson would later stop by to retrieve them. He accepted Christ in 1959 at Shiloh Christian Community Church under the leadership of the late Reverend George W. Baynard. The family members left to celebrate his life are: his wife, Mary; four sons, Harry Jr., Jerry, Douglas and Larry; sister-in-law, Ruby; daughter-in-law, Kathy; a close niece, Dorothy; four grandchildren, Devin, Ashley, Douglas II and Morgan; two great-grandchildren, Dallas and Devin Michael; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Harry Richburg Sr.

May 31, 1927 - May 3, 2011