R. Leo Richardson ’80 died on May 2, 2026, in Kennebunk, Maine.
(The following was provided by the Bibber Funeral Home on May 2, 2026:)
R. Leo Richardson ’80
Robert Leo Richardson passed away in his sleep on May 2nd, 2026. He was born in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, on July 11th, 1958. A beloved figure around Kennebunk, he was known for his “never been better” attitude and as a hardworking craftsman as the owner of Richardson Services for twenty-four years. He was “ruggedly handsome,” in appearance and in personality. His unique sense of humor would brighten every room that he was in through a quick-witted joke or some unprompted karaoke. He had a magnetic way of bringing out the best in everyone around him.
Growing up in a tight-knit family in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Leo was no stranger to road trips to see cousins in Canada, attend a rock concert, or visit Fenway Park. His keen intellect took him to Brunswick, Maine, to study football with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and government. A proud Polar Bear, he left his time at Bowdoin College rich in friendships that would span decades.
After anchoring in Maine, he fell in love with his wife, Lisa Richardson (née Peisel), while working together in Freeport. They married and their journey eventually moved their young family to Kennebunk. He loved his three children to the moon and back and was proudly in attendance at every milestone game, graduation, and celebration. He would often say that his kids were the only three good things he’d leave behind in this world.
His super power was the ability to make any mealtime special. His kitchen was an epicenter of activity on Patriot’s gameday Sundays, birthdays, and holidays. Years working in the service industry across New England helped develop his strong culinary skills.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert Edmund and G. Ruth Richardson; his brother, Jeffery Paul Richardson; and his brother-in-law Michael Welch.
He will be greatly missed by his three children Hayley (Connor) Murdock, Carolyn Richardson, and Lucas Richardson, and the mother of his children, Lisa. He is survived by his siblings Kevin (Carrie) Richardson, Tim (Dawn) Richardson, Kathy Welch, and Jean (John) LoPizzo. His loss is also shared by his cousins, nieces and nephews, football teammates, friends, and neighbors.