Dr. John G. Richardson, age 79, of Raleigh, NC passed away Sunday, January 30, 2022 in his home. He was born on September 6, 1942 in Columbus County, NC to the late Ervin T. Richardson and Edith Mae Ray Richardson Evans.
Dr. John G. Richardson was reared on a farm in Columbus County, North Carolina. He attended the Old Dock and Nakina public schools and graduated in 1960.He attended N. C. State College, and graduated with a BS degree in Agricultural Education in 1964.Upon graduation, he worked five years for Swift and Company as a hog buyer in the midwestern US terminal markets of Kansas City, MO, Omaha, NB, and Sioux City, IA.
In 1969, he began his Extension career as a livestock and farm management agent in Robeson County, NC. In 1977, he completed his Master of Education degree in Adult Education with a minor in Animal Science from NC State University. He was promoted to County Extension Chairman in 1979.In 1986, he became a district program leader for the NC Cooperative Extension Service (NCCES), and later, an Extension Education Programs specialist. He completed the Doctor of Education degree in Adult Education with a minor in Animal Science from NC State University in 1987. During 1988, he served as a NACo Fellow in Washington, DC. In 1995, he was named Extension Program Delivery and Accountability Leader in which he guided the development of the internet based Extension Reporting System (ERS). In 2003, he was appointed Agricultural Programs Accountability Manager, which encompasses the NC Cooperative Extension Service and the NC Agricultural Research Service at NC State University, and in 2006 he assumed the additional responsibility of Department Extension Leader for the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education.
Until his retirement in 2009, Dr. Richardson continued to guide and manage the accountability/reporting system for NCCES as well as managing the federal AREERA plans and reports requirements for both NC Extension and the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service. He planned, developed training materials and conducted training programs to compliment these systems. He also led scholarly initiatives in the development of applied aspects of non-formal programming, with particular emphasis on program delivery systems design and implementation. He has also taught numerous graduate and advanced undergraduate courses focusing on program delivery systems, non-formal education theory and practice, and extension systems worldwide. Dr. Richardson is an Emeritus in the Department Extension Leader and Lecturer, Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, and Agricultural Programs Accountability Manager, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University.
He has published extensively, with over 100 refereed and peer reviewed publications. He has given 60 scholarly papers or seminars throughout the USA, and in Australia, South Africa, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Russia, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Turkey, the Czech Republic, and The Ukraine. Since 1993, he received 10 grants for innovative program delivery projects. He has also been called upon to travel to Russia on four occasions, Mongolia, and Moldova to provide consultation to farmer organizations, agricultural universities, and the Russian Ministry of Agriculture in the design and implementation of farmer information systems for the newly emerging private farming sector in Russia. Professional travel has taken him to 31 countries.
He has received numerous professional awards, which includes fourteen different service awards, such as the “Order of the Long Leaf Pine” which is one of the highest awards presented by the State of North Carolina. Other service awards include the Outstanding Service Award from the Association For International Agricultural And Extension Education, a Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Counties; the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents; the International Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the NC Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi, and was named the Outstanding Young Agent in North Carolina in 1975.In 1976, a new livestock arena was constructed in Robeson County, NC, and was officially named the “John G. Richardson Livestock Arena” by the Robeson County Livestock Association and County Board of Commissioners in recognition of his Extension programs and leadership.
He served as the Academic Editor of the Journal of Extension Systems from 2001 through 2007.He provided many years of leadership for the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE) as chair of the Scholarly Activities Committee for five years, as JIAEE Journal Board member, Association Board Member at Large, President-elect and President. He further served AIAEE as Caribbean Chapter Liaison. Upon his retirement, he and friends established the “Dr. John G. Richardson International Study Award Endowment” which has resulted in
some AEE graduate students and Extension agents receiving international study opportunities for the first time. He continues to be called upon by academic institutions and colleagues throughout the world to serve as external reviewer of faculty promotion materials, dissertation reviews and referee for international extension journals and scholarly conference paper submissions in his retirement.
He continues to travel extensively in the US and Canada always visiting agricultural industries and looking at the wonders of agriculture. He holds a Life Membership in the NC State University Alumni Association. He spends most of his spare time working on his farm in Columbus County in up-keep, repairs and maintenance roles as needed, which includes operating his Excavator and John Deere equipment.
Dr. Richardson is survived by his life companion, Kathleen Moritz; his former wife Linda Richardson; sons Byron (Tammy); Troy (Jennifer) and daughter Eydie Fryar (Michael). Sister Doris Biddix and brother Michael Richardson. He has six grandchildren, Kara, Karmin, Savanna, Luke, Ashlyn And Emma and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Mary Elizabeth (Bess) Shackleford Williamson.
His graveside service will be held Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 2:00 PM in the Columbus Memorial Park with Rev. Jeff Stocks officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the John G. Richardson International Study Experience Endowment, checks made payable to the NC Ag Foundation, NC State University Campus Box 7645, Raleigh, NC 27695. Please add a note or on the memo line the name of the endowment fund.
