Arthur Richards

On March 24, 2022, Arthur Richards passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family and loved ones. He was born April 26, 1932 in Caliente, Nevada to Andy Richards and Carrie John Zuniga. He was the brother to 14 siblings. On May 30, 1963, he married his sweetheart, Phyllis Darlene Roberts in the St. George Temple. Arthur and Phyllis are the parents of 6 children; Jacqueline, Malan, Virginia, Bobbie, Westin and Hilda.
Arthur started working at a very young age of 14 when he needed to help his mom take care of bills and the family. From the time he started working on the farm at 14, he never quit his hard-working ethic. He held numerous different jobs including working on a Turkey Plant, being a Highway Patrolman as well as a Sheriff. All the grandkids always had to hear about how grandpa was a sheriff. His last job before retiring, he was working at the Coleman Company.
After Arthur retired, he continued to serve his people and others. He did a lot to serve his Tribe with different assorted projects, giving speeches and prayers out to the Parowan Gap and teaching his traditional skills within his culture and the connections. He also did healing prayers to those that were hurt, sick or on their way to their next journey in life.
Arthur believed heavily in Paiute traditional ways. He took every opportunity to teach his culture as he was always afraid the culture would be lost. He was also a male Fancy Dancer as well as an Eagle Dancer. He would travel to perform dances with Levan Martineau.
He always had stories to tell. He always spoke bluntly without apologies about both European American and Paiute history.
With years of fighting almost every day as a kid, with either local whites or the Ute kids from up north, led him to prize fighting and gave him a direct, inflicting nature. His best friends, the Fullmer's, were the ones you would often see him boxing different matches with.
Due to his boxing nature, he was always hiding around a corner ready to throw punches especially at his kids to keep them on their toes.
Arthur always had a green thumb for everything. He could have lived in his garden. He was always providing the village with his vegetables. It was common to hear "The Sheriff is in town!" when he was out delivering. He was always known to be out venturing off on an adventure, whether it was riding horses, fishing, hiking or just up in the mountains.
Arthur was an avid Hunter and Pinenut picker. This adventure tended to be the one he was always stuck on in his last few years of life giving the entire family a run for their money. Even sending them on some of these adventures that seemed would never end.
Arthur is survived by his wife Phyllis; children Jaqueline, Malan, Virginia, Bobbie, Westin and Hilda; sisters, Darlene, Anita, Geraldine, Catherine; along with numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his parents Andy Richards and Carrie John Zuniga; brothers Floyd and Glenn; sisters Loretta, Delores and Janice; and grandson Wesley Arthur Astor.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 2, 2022 at 11:00 am at Southern Utah Mortuary in Cedar City, UT. There will be a viewing held Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 9:30-10:30am at the Southern Utah Mortuary before the funeral services. His wishes were to be cremated after the services. Online condolences can be sent at www.sumortuary.com.