Elmer Alonzo (Lonnie) Richardson was born on September 20, 1956 in Cincinnati, Ohio to the late Robert and Mabel Richardson. He was the eighth of ten children. Elmer attended Cincinnati public schools.
While Elmer grew up in a very loving home and Christian family, he developed a strong independence and matured very fast beyond his age. In otherwords, he had a mind of his own. He started working at the age of seven, selling newspapers, making his own money. As Elmer (Lonnie) grew up, he soon learned that he liked to work and he liked making money, so he worked at several places. As a young man, he got a job at Arnold’s Grill downtown, then he was hired and worked for the City of Cincinnati in the Highway Maintenance Department.
Lonnie soon decided that he wanted to become an entrepreneur and founded “Lonnie’s Lawn Care and Snow Removal Service.” When you called his business number, it said leave a number for “Mr. Richardson.” This is when he met Jeff and Mary Shaffer. This relationship began in 1999. Lonnie worked primarily for the Shaffers over twenty years providing lawn care, snow removal, property maintenance and many other duties. The Shaffers were responsible for the growth of his Lawn care service by referring many of their friends in the Walnut Hills community. Several foot injuries and surgeries within the past two years prevented him from serving his many customers.
In 1993, Elmer confessed Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at the Morning Star Baptist Church (MSBC). MSBC hired him to do their Lawn Care. Every morning Lonnie would get up and drive around to all the MSBC properties to see if the grounds were as they should be. Lonnie performed that service for many years, even up to two weeks before he was lastly hospitalized. He was a very hard worker and modeled his late father Robert Richardson …….”Early to Bed and Early to Rise.” He was not afraid of work. Lonnie was also an excellent interior painter.
Elmer has many names: Elmer, Lonnie, Daddy, PaPa, Elmer Fudd, Fuddy, Fudd, Fuddy Duddy, Lonnie-Love and in his earlier life he could have been called “Slick Willy.” But Lonnie’s true character was loving, hard-working, caring, understanding, witty, very funny, and full of wisdom. He loved his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, siblings and entire family. He was also a very clean person. He could not stand any type of filth. While he did not complete high school, he was very smart. Elmer loved Fishing, which his Father taught him and he loved hats. He was a sharp dresser.
Lonnie was known to his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as loving, caring, supportive, always being there to help out. His daughter LaTonya is grateful for the support he provided for her in raising her four children and helping her monetarily when she needed it. His son Donte has fond memories of spending every 4th of July with his father, sister and family watching sports, barbecuing and doing fireworks. Lonnie loved the Golden State Warrior. He would wear his team gear whenever they played.
Elmer leaves to mourn his departure: two children William Donte Burns and Latonya Simpson; Eight grandchildren, La’Shawn Cockrell, Shawniece Cockrell, Sharronya Simpson, Wynter Peoples, Ashley Marie Burns, Wynter Roper, William Antonio Durand and Ayonna Durand; three great grandchildren, LaShawn Cockrell Jr., Shiloh Cockrell and Jayce Freeman; three brothers, Robert Richardson, Calvin Richardson (Myria) and Darrell Richardson (Bonnie); four sisters, Dorothy Ann Heard, Justine Clark-Lomax (Robert), Cheryl Dennis and Cynthia Richardson; last, but not least, his loving and devoted significant other Barbara Collier; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins many others and friends.
Lonnie will be greatly missed and forever loved by everyone who knew him!
Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 13, 2023 at Morning Star Baptist Church (722 Oak Street, Cincinnati Oh, 45207). Visitation will begin at 10:00am and service to follow at 11:00am. Interment at Walnut Hills Cemetery.
Professional services entrusted to W.E. Lusain Funeral Home & Crematory (Dayton)
