Kent Richardson El Dorado Springs, Mo.

Alan Kent Richardson, 70, of El Dorado Springs, Missouri, passed peacefully and entered his eternal home March 1, 2017, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.

Kent was born April 29, 1946, in Osceola to Everett and Doris Richardson. He was the oldest of four children. He had three sisters, Kathy, Connie and Carla.

Kent graduated from Osceola High School in 1965. On Oct. 12, 1965, he and a friend joined the Navy on the buddy plan. He was honorably discharged Sept. 23, 1969.

He married Linda Dows and two children were born to this union, Christina (Johnny) Rangel and Jamie Richardson, both of Hobbs, New Mexico. During this time, he was a trucker. After their divorce, he joined the Army on May 31, 1975. Kent served his country, including two tours in Vietnam, Cuba, Korea, Thailand, Germany and in the states of Washington and Colorado.

Kent married Janet Taft on March 1, 1986, and she had two sons, Michael and Troy. He retired from the Army on Aug. 31, 1991, and the military gave him credit for serving 22 years.

Kent was a gentleman, who cared deeply for the people he loved, and he adored his mom, Doris, his sisters and his step-dad Bernard.

Kent drove a flatbed semi for TMC out of Des Moines for 11 years. After retiring from that, he drove a school bus for the handicapped children in El Dorado Springs, Missouri. The kids loved him and he loved them. He will be missed by all that knew him.

In August 2013, he was diagnosed with leukemia. He fought a courageous battle for 3 1/2 years.

Preceding him in death was his father, Everett in 1990; step-brother Lowell Linder in May 2015; four grandparents and aunts and uncles.

Surviving are his wife, Jan; his mother, Doris (Bernard) Linder of Osceola; children, Jamie and Tina of Hobbs, New Mexico; sisters: Kathy (Steve) Ratcliff of Red Oak, Connie Richardson of Des Moines and Carla (Ray) Baker of Osceola; step-sisters, Cindy (Randol) Goodrich of Elkhart and Pam (Butch) Black of Osceola; step-sons, Mike and Troy; special friend David Blair; many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

A memorial will be held later at First Christian Church in Osceola.