Rest in Power, Willie Richardson

With heavy hearts, we announce that our dear friend Willie B. Richardson, president of Oregon Black Pioneers for many years, passed away on January 25, 2023. Willie’s immeasurable impact on the organization, the city of Salem, and the state of Oregon will be felt for many generations.

As stated in The Skanner, Willie was “‘a force to be reckoned with’ – passionate, kind and deeply impactful.” You can read her obituary here and The Scanner article here.

We will miss her dearly.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 4 at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Covenant Church, 5020 Liberty Rd. S, Salem, with a viewing Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Golden’s Mortuary, 605 Commercial St SE, Salem.

In lieu of flowers, the Oregon Black Pioneers and Pioneer Trust Bank’s Salem Foundation, established a scholarship in Willie’s honor to support college students interested in researching, interpreting and documenting Black history. Please make checks payable to Willie B. Richardson Scholarship Fund and mail to Oregon Black Pioneers 2755 Commercial St. SE, #101-172, Salem, OR 97302.