Elizabeth Richmond Colter “Liz” 92, formerly of Phoenix, Prescott and Eagar, Arizona, died Wed., November 2, 2022 in Dana Point, CA. Born February 17, 1930, in Philadelphia, PA. Liz was the daughter of John O’Donnel Richmond and Emily Acker Richmond. Both her siblings, Lee Richmond Barker and Lincoln Acker Richmond predeceased her. Survivors include five children: Emily Taranta, Nancy Greene, John Harrison (Barbara) Colter, Mary Lee (Marsden) Stewart and Ann (Kyle) Matthews; 18 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. She attended the University of Arizona where she was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority and Mortar Board. She was Student Body Secretary in the 1949-1950 school year and met her husband James Harrison Colter “Jim” while in college. Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 3, 2022, at 12:30 p.m. at Burnham Mortuary, Eagar, AZ.
Posted online on December 01, 2022
Published in The Arizona Republic
Elizabeth and her husband Jim were married at the China Lake Navy Base in the base chapel by a Navy Chaplin, Lieutenant Commander W. I. Wolfe in 1950. Elizabeth came to China lake in 1944 when her father, John O Richmond became commander of the Navel Ordinance Test Station at China Lake. She began school in Trona because at time there wasn’t a high school in the Indian Wells Valley.
Bakersfield, California •
Mon, Nov 6, 1950
Liz lived with us, the Walker family, as there was no school at that time in China Lake. Her Father was the first Commander at China Lake. Such a wonderful person.
She wasn’t the only China Lake/Ridgecrest student to go to school in Trona. I wondered how that worked. That would be a very long bus ride every day.
The Porter Girls, Gwen, Lois & Jo, lived in Trona with families also as their parents lived in Inyokern. They all graduated from Trona in the 40’s and now, all 3 are deceased. Gwen lived with us, Lois with the Bob Sherman family and Jo, I believe the Suhr family.
There are only three people left from the class of 1946 and I’m uncertain about them.