Sharon Richard

Sharon Marie Richard passed away on November 25,2019 at home with her husband Ronnie M. Richard and her two dogs at her side. She was born October 2,1951 in Kermit, Texas to Armond and Billie Mitchell. She moved to Jal, New Mexico as a toddler, and graduated from Jal High School at 17.

At the age of 18 she married Billy Searcy, who six months after been wed, broke his neck in a swimming pool accident becoming quadriplegic. Sharon faithfully nursed him day and night for the next 24 years until his passing in 1993. Together they were baptized into Christ in a giant laundry tub in a V.A. Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. They remained faithful all their lives, and influenced others to follow Christ as they did.

After Billy passed, her church family at the Jefferson St. Church of Christ supported her, and she pursued her nursing degree at the NMJC to become a registered nurse. Sharon worked at the LRH until they forced her to go into retirement in 2015 after a shoulder injury at work.

Sharon was single for 20 years before she married Ronnie Richard in 2014. Together they enjoyed bus tours across the USA and cruises in the western Caribbean and Alaska.

Breast Cancer came and she battled it until her death. As they years went by her goal was to glorify God in her sickness. She told nurses, doctors and everyone she met how she was looking forward to hugging Jesus’s neck and having a new spiritual body that never got sick. She also told of how excited she was to decorate her new heavenly home.

Sharon was preceded in death by her loving parents, oldest brother Joe Mitchell, her first husband Billy Searcy and one niece Toni Shavonis.

Left to remember this remarkable and strong woman are her husband Ronnie, her brothers; Ricky Mitchell of T. or C., New Mexico, Buster Mitchell (Anne) of Nogel, New Mexico, nieces; Kim Wheeler (Therman), Jamie Paul (Rich), Jodie Wallace (Kevin), nephews; Dusty Mitchell (Nora), Adam Mitchell, step-children; Jason Richard and Jill Gibbs, step-grandchildren; Stetson Gibbs, Hunter Gibbs, Jake Richard and Remington White. She is also survived by a host of extended family and good friends.

A memorial service in her honor will be held on December 21,2019 at the Jefferson St. Church of Christ at 2pm. In leu of flowers, please send contributions to the The New Mexico Christian Children’s Home at 1359 NM 236 Portales, NM 88130.