Our Dad, Ernie Richardson, was born August 4, 1931 in Stoughton, Saskatchewan. His family moved to Regina in 1945 and Dad began curling in Regina in 1953. Dad played lead his first year, then skipped thereafter. The team consisted of two brothers (Ernie and Garnet) and two cousins (Arnold and Wes), all having the same last name. They were the youngest team to win the Brier in Quebec City in 1959 and the rest is history.

Dad and his wife Rikki have been married for 32 years and between them have 5 children, 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Over the years Dad has been very devoted to his family and their interests. You will often see Dad at a soccer field, gym, school concert, music recital, ball diamond, drama production or whatever is presented to him.

Our Dad has dedicated himself, just as he was dedicated to his curling career, to building a very successful business (Richardson Lighting) which allowed us, his children to carry on his dream and to provide a service to the community that he has lived in for 63 years. His philosophy on life has been hard work, honesty, common sense and team work which we will continue to live by and pass on to the generations to come.

Among his many achievements are that his team was the first Curling team to be inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, he is a recipient of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame which he is very proud of, and received the Order of Canada in January, 1978.

Dad is a member of the Governor General’s Curling Club and recently received the Emeritus Membership Standing. He was also presented with the World Curling Freytag Award in 2000.

Our Dad is a devoted Roughrider Fan and has held season tickets for over 55 years. He is a former Executive Director of the Roughriders and a life member of the Optimist Club and has been a member of the Rotary Club since 1987.

During the summer months Dad will be seen at Richardson Lighting or on the golf course. He is and always will be a very competitive man and shows it in everything he does. Dad and Rikki enjoy their winters in Scottsdale, Arizona but always are home for Christmas. Being with the family at that time of the year is very important to both of them.

Written by,
Judy Richardson
Daughter of Ernie Richardson
(Richardson Skip)

Where are they now?

Arnold has been retired since the late 1980's. Arnold's first wife Shirley died from Huntington's Disease.

In 1985 he married Lilian Turnmeier from Moose Jaw. They lived together in Moose Jaw for a few years. Then, when Lil retired, they moved to Arnold's lake front home at Pelican Point.

While living at the lake, they spent lots of time gardening. Arnold was always building wooden and concrete structures to enhance the yard. They made many close friends there, and set aside Friday nights for weekly card games. They also took long walks, and enjoyed the country scenery.

They are close to their families. Between them, they have 6 children, 9 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild. Their children and grandchildren visited often and have many good memories of swimming and boating. Arnold and the family also had many hair raising rides in his sailboat. Every Christmas the family gathered and enjoyed celebrations at the lake.

In July 2005 Arnold and Lil sold their home at the lake and moved into an apartment in Moose Jaw where they currently reside.

Today their hobbies include walking, watching sporting events, such as curling, football, and baseball. They enjoy travelling. They make regular trips back to Stoughton to visit relatives. They make annual road trips to Alberta and BC to visit friends and relatives, and every winter travel to Mazatlan for two months.

Although they maintain busy lifestyles, they are very happy and enjoy all that the world brings to them.

Written by,
Shelley Leader
Daughter of Arnold Richardson
Arnold Richardson Third

You could sum up my dad’s life with a few accomplishments that he has devoted his life to. Some of the most important ones would be - Fun, Family, Friends, Curling, Great work ethics, Sports in general, Politics, a dedicated volunteer and a renowned after dinner speaker. He was born in Stoughton, Sask. In 1933 and given the name Garnet Samuel Richardson, this eventually became just Sam. Only a handful of family members still call him by his given name.

The family moved off the farm and into Regina in 1945 where Sam and his siblings attended grade school (Davin) and high school (Balfour) where he took up the carpentry trade. Sam worked for his father building homes after school and weekends. He eventually attended SIAST in Moose Jaw where he obtained his carpentry papers and met his wife Kathleen. They have been married for over 50 years and have two children Brenda (Chuck) and Bobby (Lorraine), two granddaughters Jenny (Dave) and Jessica plus one great-grandson Cole.

After 35 years of building some of the finest homes in Regina Sam decided to move on to a new career in Real Estate. His first position was with Monarch Homes and then onto Block Brothers and now he is with Sutton Group where he has spent at least the last 13 years.

His curling career started when he was in high school and was made up of his brother Ernie and two cousins, Wes and Arnold. In 1955 the team watched Saskatchewan win their first Brier. The Richardson Team got serious about the sport and four years later (1959) they won their first Saskatchewan Championship, The Canadians and went on to win the Worlds. The team went on to win 5 Saskatchewan Championships, 4 Canadian Championships and 4 World Championships (losing only 1 game through out the 4 World Championships). A record that has never been achieved by any other team.

The Richardson Team has been inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame along with the Saskatchewan Curling Hall of Fame and the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame. Personally Sam has many accomplishments including working with Blind and Deaf Curlers and Bowlers, Sam tried out the mixed league and skipped a Provincial Mixed Curling Team to 2nd place at the Canadian Championships in 1973. He became a life time member in numerous Curling Clubs and the Saskatchewan Curling Association. Dad has coached and mentored some famous curlers and characters such as Jack McDuff, Newfoundland’s only Brier winner to date, (that was quiet the party!) along with Bob Ellert in 1981 and also Garry Bryden in 1984.

For the last 45 years Dad has traveled near and far, from Balgonie to Pittsburg, to speak at over a thousand banquets, dinners, bonspiels, charities and fund raisers. Many times he volunteered to be the guest speaker just to support the community’s curling rink or the hockey rink and so on. Many times there was no curling involved at all. He has had the pleasure to speak for the last six Brier Banquets.

Sam has been on the receiving end of several awards,– Nominated for Realtor of the year in 2005, Received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 2005, Honorary Chair for the Tim Horton’s Brier in 2006, Member of the Governor General Curling Club in Ottawa, Received CCA President Recognition Award 2006 just to name a few.

Two of his biggest legacies will be writing a book, Say It Again Sam; which has sold over 5,000 copies and is still going strong. And over 25 years ago he started the S.A.M. Annual Charity Golf Tournament with a couple of his buddies, Aden and Mel which still is a sell out every year.

All in all he is just Sam, Dad to me but loved by many, he will always greet you with a smile, have something great and positive to say to you in that famous voice that makes you feel special. Sam stands by his family and friends in good times and in bad. He says that the things that he is most proud of are the relationships he has had with his parents (who are both gone) and love that he shares with his wife Kay and his children and grandchildren, and having lots and lots of fun with his friends, which are many!

If you know anything about him you will know where to find him on a Friday night to listen to his endless and hilarious stories that never quit.

Written by,
Brenda Richardson
Daughter of Sam (Garnet) Richardson
Sam (Garnet) Richardson Second

My Dad is Wes Richardson, he was the Lead for the Richardson Curlers. I was asked to write about what my dad is doing now. Many years after the Richardson Curlers made a name for themselves with the winning the World Championships and Canadian Briers.

My Dad, Wes was a natural athlete; he was outstanding hockey player, baseball player and the obvious outstanding curler. Just about anything he tried he excelled at. While Dad was still working he loved to jog, which lead him into running in the Honolulu Marthton a few times. Once his back would not allow him to run any longer he tried biking. This became another passion of his. He rode in the Century ride (100 mile bike ride) many times. Dad had to stop competitive riding due to health reasons. He then rode his bike recreationally to stay in shape.

Dad retired in 1992 from the refinery in Hawaii. The retired life did not slow him down. He finally was able to take the time to travel. He and Arleen have gone on a few cruises: one to Alaska and one around the Hawaiian Islands. They have also been to Disney World, Toronto, New York, Vermont and numerous trips to Victoria and Regina.

When Dad is not traveling he stays busy volunteering at his church and also at all the PGA, LPGA and the Championship golf Tournaments held in Hawaii. He also keeps active by working out at the YMCA. He enjoys yard work around the house and his occasional bike ride. Another hobby dad really enjoys is time playing his keyboard.

Dad lives life to the fullest and lives a very active lifestyle. He really enjoys his retired life and being able to fulfill all of his passions. He also enjoys importance being with friends and family.

Written by,
Kathy Fuchs
Daughter of Wes Richardson
Wes Richardson Lead