Born in Chipman, John (Jack) Richardson (June 1920-April 2010) set his sights on UNB’s engineering program. It ultimately resulted in a degree and led to a successful career that took him throughout North America. Despite living afar, he always spoke highly of the university that made it all possible for him.
After Jack (BScEE ’41) graduated, he worked with General Electric in Ontario and it was there that he met and fell in love with his wife, Kathryn (Kay) Richardson (June 1926-November 2016). During their marriage, which lasted more than 50 years, they lived in Toronto, Montreal and ultimately Troy, Ohio, where Jack was vice-president and general manager of A.O. Smith’s Electric Motor Division in the 1960s.
Jack never forgot his formative years in New Brunswick, from his three-person high-school graduation class to his extensive involvement on the Fredericton campus, which included managerial duties for the UNB men’s hockey team.
“We spent a lot of time with them and they always had a New Brunswick flag in their home,” said Cate McMillan, Jack and Kay’s niece. “Jack always spoke highly of the quality of engineers developed by UNB.”
Jack and Kay were known for their generous spirit and community involvement, values reflected in the three UNB scholarships they formed through a $2 million bequest to the university. The Kay and John Richardson Memorial Scholarships, each valued at $32,000 over four years, symbolize their desire to assist the continued development of UNB’s engineers.
“Attending UNB was a huge part of his life as a young adult,” Cate said. “It was important for them to make a contribution.”
The Richardsons wanted the scholarships to cover tuition for all four years of an undergraduate degree. The awards are open to students beginning the Bachelor of Science in Engineering program straight from high school, and are based on academic achievement, financial need and extracurricular activities.
