Pastor Chester Ivan Richard

Pastor Chester Richard passed from a very beautiful spiritual life on April 4, 2024. Our beloved Chester was born in Sugar Land, TX, to Murphy Richard and Vivian Stewart, on November 29, 1955.

He was educated through the Katy ISD. Wherefore, he was also employed at Katy ISD until his passing. Chester started as a Foreman over Katy Print Shop. When the print shop merged with an outside source, Chester began working in the Katy ISD warehouse until his illness.

On November 28, 1987, Chester married Theresa Murray of Houston, TX, at Greater Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Frank Porter. Chester and Theresa spent 39 years together, and had one child together under marriage, Tysman M. Richard, in March of 1989.

Chester and Theresa joined Southwest Community Baptist Church where Pastor Chester Richard was called into ministry around 1993, under the leadership of Pastor Greg Patrick. There, Chester and Theresa had to attend Leadership classes and Bible study, covering the Bible from the beginning to the end. Chester was ordained after the classes under Pastor Greg Patrick.

I will never forget the day or evening he preached his first sermon, because it was the day that our baby son was baptized and Pastor Patrick allowed him to go into the water and help baptize our son, Tysman, at the age of eight. That evening, he preached his first sermon.

Pastor Richard decided that he wanted to go to his home church, Oak Hill Missionary Baptist Church, about the year of 1998. He was offered the leadership position around 1999, after the presiding Pastor passed away. He loved his Oak Hill church family. Pastor Richard, later united with St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Pastor Lee Nelson Jones. He was a member of the Mt. Zion Lively Hope District Association, where he served as President of the Sunday School Congress of Christian Workers along with Sister Lily Brown.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his grand-daughter, Kendyll Stradford.