Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to express my feelings, for I feel very honored to share a few memories of this wonderful man.
Tom stopped me and said, “Beatrice, where are you going so fast?” I said, “Was I going too fast?”
“Yeah, that’s why I thought I’d better slow you down.” So he went on and said, “Hita, I have to ask you for your driver’s license,” and I said, “Sure.”
But it was plain and simple I had nothing organized in my purse. After looking and looking for my license, I finally found it among all other papers.
Tom says, “Hita, how can this car go so fast with all that junk you have in your purse?” We both laughed.
He says, “Beatrice, I’ll let you go, drive carefully and take 5# off that right foot, you hear me.”
I said, “I promise.”
Tom was the most pleasant person to talk to, he was very highly respected and that is how I want to respect all state troopers and staff of this department, because they are in the line of duty that is very, very dangerous. And I know because my big brother lost his life in the line of duty in Farmington, N.M.
However, I’m not saying only good things about Tom Richards, because maybe he had some failures, which is natural that we all fail at one time or another. Sometimes we fail our parents, or our husbands or our wives, our teachers, our co-workers or even our children.
Tom! In my books you were great. You taught your family to respect and today they stand on good grounds. You left a wonderful daughter, Mary, following your same career with brilliance and compassion. Also a son, William Jr., and his wife Debora, grandchildren, relatives and many, many friends.
Tom, we’re gong to miss you dearly and we love you.
The Lord has called you home and you’ve gone to join your lovely wife, Wyoma, and how awesome on sweetheart day.
But Tom, because of your courtesy, caring, respect and compassion, I know you have earned a gold ticket, and that’s your ticket to heaven.
Thank you,
Beatrice Espinosa and family
