Résumé

Military service, c. 1944-1945.

Draftsman, Kenneth S. Wing, Architect, Long Beach, CA, c. 1954. (See Luskey's 1954 Official Greater Lakewood & Los Altos Criss Cross City Directory, p. 214.)

Principal, Hugh Gibbs, Architect, Long Beach, CA, 1954-1959.

Partner, Thomas, Richardson and Associates, Architects, 1959-1969.

Principal, Walter Richardson Associates, Architects, 1969- , In 1970 Walter Richardson Associates had its office at 230 East 17th Street in Costa Mesa, CA. (See "Richadson, Walter John, " American Architects Directory, 3rd Edition, 1970, John F. Gane, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1970], p. 760.)

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Orange County Chapter, 1959- .

Vice President, AIA, Orange County Chapter, 1969.

President, AIA, Orange County Chapter, 1970.

In 1970, Richardson was a Registered Architect in the States of CA and VT. (See "Richadson, Walter John, " American Architects Directory, 3rd Edition, 1970, John F. Gane, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1970], p. 760.)

College

Graduate, Woodrow Wilson High School, Long Beach, CA, 1943.

Coursework, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Westwood, Los Angeles, CA, 1944-1945.

B.Arch., University of California, Berkeley (UCB), Berkeley, CA, 1950. He belonged to the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity at UCB.

Relocation

Walter John Richards was born in Long Beach, CA, on 11/14/1926.

In late 1945, Walter resided with his parents Walter Francis and Ava Richardson at 234 Euclid Avenue in Long Beach, CA. By 12/1945, Walter John Richardson had already served in the armed forces. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1510, accessed 04/23/2026.) He continued to live with his parents in 1948. (See Long Beach, California, City Directory, 1948, p. 734.)

In 1950, a Walter J. Richardson resided at 1142 McKinley Street in Oakland, CA. The US Census of that year did not indicate an occupation for Walter, but his wife Marilyn worked as a cashier in a automobile dealership. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Oakland, Alameda, California; Roll: 2978; Page: 72; Enumeration District: 67-345, accessed 04/23/2026.) In 1950, Walter J. Richardson graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in architecture. (See University of California, Berkeley [UCB], Blue and Gold Yearbook, 1950, n.p.) While a student at UCB, he llisted his permanent address as being in Long Beach.

He and Marilyn resided at 3150 Ladoga Avenue in Long Beach, CA, in 1954. (See Luskey's 1954 Official Greater Lakewood & Los Altos Criss Cross City Directory, p. 214.)

In 1970, he resided at 349 Emerald Bay, Laguna Beach, CA. (See "Richadson, Walter John, " American Architects Directory, 3rd Edition, 1970, John F. Gane, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1970], p. 760.)

Parents

His mother was Ava Brown (born 01/31/1893 in UT-d. 11/21/1984 in CA), one of five children had by Daniel Kanute Brown (born 01/17/1860 in Utah County, UT-d. 09/27/1905 in Nephi, UT), a traveling salesman, and Sarah Maria Knowles (born 07/15/1859 in Nephi, UT-d. 08/08/1955 in Nephi, UT). Ava's family had roots in Nephi, UT, a farming and ranching town. Both of Daniel's parents had come from Denmark.

Ava wed Walter Francis Richardson (born 01/26/1890 in Butte, MT-d. 12/19/1978 in CA). Walter Francis Richardson's parents were John Register Richardson (born 10/17/1855 in IN-d. 10/21/1932 in Goldfield, NV) and Adelaide "Addie" Lilian Guyon (sometimes spelled "Guion," born 04/10/1865 in Otter Creek, WI-d. 03/03/194 in Long Beach, CA). They wed on 09/30/1885 in Butte, MT. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Geneanet Community Trees Index [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2022, accessed 04/24/2026.) John R. Richardson worked as a mining engineer in Butte, MT, at the beginning of its peak period of copper mining production.

In 1948, Walter F. Richardson was the Vice-President and Treasurer of the The Royal Press, Limited, in Long Beach. (See Long Beach, California, City Directory, 1948, p. 734.)

Spouse

He wed Marilyn Joyce Brown (born 01/14/1927 in CA-d. 12/12/1985 in Orange County, CA) on 06/26/1949 in Los Angeles County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Marriage Index, 1949-1959 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013, accessed 04/23/2026.) Marilyn also attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Los Angeles, graduating in 1944.

Marilyn's father was Edward H. Brown (born 08/13/1905 in TN-d. 07/24/1975 in Los Angeles County, CA), who in 1940 was the manager of a Long Beach finance company. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Long Beach, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00368; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 59-17, accessed 04/23/2026.) Her mother was Alice E. Gavin (born 09/27/1905 in CO-d. 06/04/1989 in Los Angeles County, CA), the daughter of two Irish immigrants.

Biographical Notes

As per his World War II draft registration card of 12/07/1945, Walter Richardson stood 5-feet, 11-and-1/2-inches tall and weighed 148 pounds. He was Caucasian with a "light" complexion, hazel eyes and blonde hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1510, accessed 04/23/2026.)