Harley Richardson was born William George Harley Webb on June 23, 1924, to Jennie Pearl Moore Webb and Joseph Frank Webb in a two-room house on Chigger Hill in Monett, Missouri. His parents separated soon after his birth and he never knew his Father. His Mother married George Richardson while Harley and his older sister, Naomi, were still very young. George was always Harleys Dad, and he drew great distinction between being a father and a dad. The Family lived on Marshall Hill in Monett and George walked to work at the railyard. George and Pearl never owned a car, and preferred not to ride in them. Across the street lived a Mr. Calvert who wired houses and owned a radio repair shop. Through Mr. Calverts mentoring Harley developed a life-long fascination for electronics, electrical circuits, and radios. When Harley was 17, he went to the roller-skating rink in Monett and met a girl named Bonnie Erwin from neighboring Wentworth they would never separate. Harley was drafted into the United States Army in January 1943, and reported to Leavenworth, Kansas for processing and then boot camp in Port Lavaca, Texas. Harley tested and was placed into the Army Specialist Training Program (ASTP). Under ASTP he attended college at Oklahoma A&M in Stillwater (now Oklahoma State University) from June 1943 until March 1944. As World War II intensified the Army closed the ASTP program and began shipping soldiers out to the front lines. Harley was then stationed at Camp Howze near Gainesville, Texas. During a weekend furlough Harley traveled to Missouri, and on May 6, 1944, Harley and Bonnie made the decision to elope by traveling into Oklahoma because Missouri had a required waiting period for men under the age of 21. On this date Harley was only 19 years old, and Bonnie was 18. However, when they arrived in Miami, Oklahoma they learned the State required men younger than 21 years of age to have their parents written permission. The couple then drove further down the road to Vinita, Oklahoma where Harley was now 21 years of age and the couple was married by the Craig County Judge. Their maid of honor was Adalee Stinson and best man was Cecil Looney. The newly married couple returned to Camp Howze and Bonnie lived in a room that she rented from a family in Gainesville. In late 1944, Harley was placed in the Seventh Army (under General Alexander Patch), 103d "Cactus" Division, 409 Infantry Regiment, Company L. The Division shipped off to the European theater in October 1944, arriving in Marseilles, France on October 20. Cactus Division spent the next 18 months in the European war theater, 6 of those months in active combat. Harley served in the infantry as a radio operator on the front lines as the Division forced the German Army out of France and into Germany and Austria. The war came to an end while Harley was in Innsbruck, Austria on May 8, 1945. The Division then performed occupational duties that included the liberation of the Dachau Concentration Camp near Munich, Germany. The Division returned to the US and was inactivated in September 1945. Harley was honorably discharged from the Army on March 18, 1946, having been awarded the Medals of Victory, European African Theatre, Middle Eastern Theatre, American Theatre, Overseas Bars, and two Bronze Stars. Much later in life, on June 17, 2016, Harley would be awarded Frances highest military honor, The Order of Lgion d'Honneur by Sujiro Seam, by the Consul General for the French Consulate. With the war over, Harley and Bonnie first lived in Wentworth where their first child, Linda, was born on June 9, 1947. In 1949, the Family moved to California, and their second child, Nancy, was born in Lynwood on March 30, 1950. The Family moved from California to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1951 where Harley transferred for work with Rockwell. Third child, Maggie, was born in Tulsa on March 21, 1954. Later in 1954, the Family moved to Pryor, Oklahoma where Harley worked for John Deere Chemical. While living in Pryor, the Family became active members of Church of God in Pryor then led by Pastor Dwight Dye. At that time the Church of God Ministries were very active in world-wide Christian mission services. Their fourth child, George (Buddy), was born in Pryor on September 20, 1956. Their Family of six became Church of God missionaries and were assigned to Kenya, Africa (then a British Colony) in March 1958 being stationed at Mwihila Mission Hospital in the western portions of that Country. During their time in Africa Harley helped make numerous improvements to the Mission Hospital complex by constructing a school house, expanding medical facilities, and an electric power generator. Beginning in 1952, and continuing through 1959, the British control of Kenya was under increasing political pressure as a result of the Mau Mau Uprising. This culminated in a rebellion in which the British and those aligned with the British (including US citizens) were encouraged to leave Kenya for safety purposes. Because of the political tension, and a serious medical condition developed by Bonnie, the Family left Africa rather suddenly in late 1960. The Family returned to Monett, Missouri and for a short period lived with relatives. Harley took a job with Western Electric Company in Oklahoma City in 1961 and the Family moved to their forever home in Bethany. The Family was part of the founding members of the Westridge Hills Church of God in the early 1960s under Pastor Dwight Dye. Harley taught Adult Bible Classes every Sunday morning at the church for several decades. This church later became The Crossings Community Church. While working at Western Electric, Harley attended college classes at night and on weekends, and completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree in mathematics from Oklahoma City University in May 1969, and his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Oklahoma in May 1978. Harley completed his career as an electrical engineer with Western Electric retiring in 1989. Harley, Bonnie and Family traveled extensively through the years frequently seeking out every museum and historical marker along the way. Harley went on to study theology at Mid-America Christian University, and became an ordained Church of God minister on April 8, 2003. Bonnie passed away on October 26, 2011 after a prolonged illness. Harley remained occupied with his many home projects and worked most every Friday as volunteer at the 45th Army Infantry Division Museum in Oklahoma City. On May, 10, 2014, Harley married Adalee Stinson at the Fort Reno Chapel. Adalee had been Bonnies Maid-of-Honor the day Harley and Bonnie had eloped in 1944. Adalee passed away on June 24, 2019. Harley was a voracious reader especially of world history. His appetite for learning never ever stopped. In addition to his two college degrees, Harley completed two VoTech classes on refrigeration, one on upholstering, and graduated in the Class of 2008 Master Gardeners. And just before he learned of his cancer diagnosis, he ordered all the course materials needed to take two college courses; one in Advanced Calculus and the other Thermodynamics (he said he hadnt learned these courses thoroughly enough back when he took them in college). Harley was preceded in death by his parents Jennie Pearl and George Richardson, sister Naomi Loveland, granddaughter Laura Hagan, great-grandsons Nicholas Renfro and Benjamin Renfro, and wives Bonnie Richardson and Adalee Richardson. He is survived by children Linda Hagan and husband Gary Hagan, Nancy Gaines and husband Joel Gaines, Maggie Best and husband Ralph Best, son George (Buddy) Richardson and wife Cathy Richardson, grandchildren Sarah Conner, Shawn Hagan and wife Christy Darrow Hagan, Thad Renfro, Chad Renfro, Jason Renfro and wife Jennifer White Renfro, Heather Swift, Emily Wahkahquah and husband Josh Wahkahquah, Jennifer Lewis and husband Chris Lewis, Jenna Johnston and husband Curtis Johnston, Alyssa Williams and husband Brandon Williams, Brady Richardson and wife Dakota Richardson, great-grandchildren Jake Conner, Wyatt Conner, Kenneth Hagan, Tanner Renfro and wife Anne Renfro, Addison Renfro, Abby Renfro, Haley Renfro, Caitlyn Carter, Amy Ballantine, Kameron Swift, Jackson Wahkahquah, Sydney Wahkahquah, Mallory Wahkahquah, Madeleine Lewis, Vivienne Lewis, Grace Johnston, Avery Johnston, Cooper Williams, Callie Williams, Brooks Richardson, and great-great-grandchild Sunny Conner. Harley has taken on many roles through his long life including: son, brother, student, soldier, husband, brother-in-law, patriot, uncle, veteran, father, dad, engineer, story teller, teacher, missionary, scout master, reverend, father-in-law, grandpa, great-grandpa, and great-great-grandpa. He had an incredible memory for minute details and loved to tell stories about every subject imaginable. It always seemed that he was well versed on just about every subject. The Meriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word stubborn as "a person that is unreasonably or perversely unyielding; mulish; justifiably unyielding; resolute; carries on in an unyielding, persistent or obstinate manner." For example, Harley Richardson. Harleys raw honesty, and always calculated yet seldom filtered response, was his trademark and he has been an excellent sounding board for many of us for years. You always knew that if you didnt want his opinion, you better not ask. Sugar coating was not a strong card for him. We will all sorely miss his clear thinking, good counsel, belief in God, love of learning, and patriotic soul. The Family would like to thank the miraculous Staff at Coletta Cancer Center, neighbors Rosie Arias and Family as well as Bryan Witt, Meals on Wheels, BrightStar Care, and Frontier Hospice. The past six months have indeed been challenging for Harley and Family. Our Fathers long-standing directive to us was to allow him to remain in his home throughout his illness. Through the Grace of God and this amazing support Team he was able to achieve his wish. . Visitation with Family Present Mercer-Adams Funeral Service Wednesday, August 31, 2022 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM 3925 North Asbury Avenue Bethany, Oklahoma 73008 Viewing at Mercer-Adams 9am-8pm Funeral Service Mercer-Adams Chapel Thursday, September 01, 2022 10:00 AM 3925 N. Asbury Bethany, OK 73008 Service will be lived-streamed and can be viewed on this obituary page.