My father served faithfully in may leadership positions in the church. He also served two terms as a Hidalgo County Commissioner, and later served as a Municipal Judge. While serving as County Commissioner, on one of his trips to Santa Fe, he found land east of Lordsburg (what is now called the Pyramid Valley) that could be homesteaded. He was instrumental in developing that valley.

Daddy was a hard worker, as were all his brothers and sisters. A work ethic was certainly instilled by their parents and grandparents. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather and a righteous man. He and Mother taught us honesty, integrity, a love of God and our Country, and like him, a good work ethic. He led us in our daily prayers and taught us to respect and love our church leaders. His grandchildren adored him and he was always a great example for them. He was a busy, hard working man, but he always had time for teaching moments in daily life and in spiritual needs.

He had a tremendous influence on those he came in contact with and he and my mother were instrumental in many of their friends’ conversion to the church. We always had company drop in and they were always invited to dinner and spend the night. They gave up their bed, after changing the sheets, and they would retire to another bed, sometimes the sofa. That always amazed me that they insisted giving up their bed. The same with the meals, regardless of how much we had or didn’t have, they were always fed a good meal.

Near the close of Father’s sojourn on earth, Aunt Ena and Mother rushed him to El Paso to the hospital. He had severe heart problems. After he was admitted, Aunt Ena & Mother came to our home in El Paso and Aunt Ena said, “We will never bring him home.” That was rather distressing to us because we certainly didn’t want to lose him. Aunt Ena told us the reason he wasn’t coming home: while waiting in the hospital room, my dad said to her “Ireta is here with us, she is sitting in that chair.” Of course this bothered Aunt Ena, because Ireta died many years ago, and Aunt Ena knew she was there to take him home.

Ether Wellington Richins died in El Paso, Texas January 21, 1973. He lived a long and fruitful life, leaving a great and fascinating legacy. It would take a giant of a man to follow his footsteps.