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For Richardson, the bread-making process is much more than baking \u2014 it\u2019s a reflection of the way she\u2019s lived her life. \u201cI\u2019ve had a great life. I\u2019m very fortunate,\u201d she said with a smile, though her voice softened when she talked about her daughter, who died from cancer a few years ago. \u201cShe fought for 22 years, and you\u2019re never ready to lose them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through her grief, baking became a comfort. \u201cLast fall, I struggled,\u201d Richardson admitted. \u201cI forgot things, including which bowl I used for what. But I kept going. I couldn\u2019t let the starter die.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her bread-making isn\u2019t just about creating something delicious; it\u2019s about teaching others, sharing her knowledge, and connecting with her community at Arcadia Senior Living. \u201cI\u2019ve been showing people how to make it, and it\u2019s so nice to see others pick it up,\u201d she said. \u201cOne of our residents gave me a newspaper the other night that\u2019s all about how farmers are essential to our society. It reminded me of how important it is to teach others and pass on what we know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Richardson\u2019s life has been one of service, too. After working as a regional librarian for over 25 years, she dedicated herself to helping others connect with books and resources. \u201cI worked with public libraries and schools, did workshops, and helped set up new libraries,\u201d she said with pride. \u201cI\u2019m a firm believer in education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In her retirement, Richardson continues to impart wisdom to her neighbors. The love she has for sourdough is infectious, and she proudly shares it with anyone willing to learn. She\u2019s not just baking bread \u2014 she\u2019s baking memories, teaching generations how to make something from scratch and fill their homes with the aroma of warm, homemade bread. She even taught us how to make the bread from start to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, stir rapidly,\u201d Richardson shouted from across the table. \u201cOpen the lid to the starter and measure out 2 cups.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When she talks about her sourdough, her face lights up. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the starter,\u201d Richardson said, her eyes twinkling. \u201cThat\u2019s the magic. And once you get it right, the bread \u2026 oh, it\u2019s something special.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The smell of freshly baked sourdough waves through the air as Richardson pulls out a perfectly golden loaf, its crust crackling under the touch. As the warm bread cools on the counter, Richardson already has ideas of who to give a slice of bread or a gooey cinnamon roll to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you ever find yourself in Evelyn Richardson\u2019s presence, you\u2019ll not only be treated to a slice of the most delicious bread but also to a piece of her heart. And as she continues to bake, she reminds us all that, in life, as in bread-making, success comes when you feed what you care about \u2014 and when you never let go of what really matters. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" EVELYN RICHARDSON is the kind of woman who walks into a room and immediately fills it with warmth \u2014 along with the comforting scent of freshly baked bread, its golden crust crackling as it cools, or the sweet, spiced aroma of cinnamon rolls, their soft, pillowy layers swirled with butter and sugar. With a lifetime […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":26382,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/bowling-green\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/04\/Story-1-photo1-2-1-1024x683.jpg\")