It is with great sadness that the Richards family announces the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, Hitlard D'Lehblo Richards. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on July 23, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio.

Mr. Richards was a tireless advocate for education and firmly believed in its power to transform the lives of young Liberians. He was a man of deep faith and served faithfully in many roles at his local church, East Livingston Baptist Church in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, where he served as a deacon, moderator, and Sunday school teacher.

Mr. Richards was born on March 19, 1944, in Vlee-Kpaih Town, District Two, Grand Bassa County, Liberia, to D'Lehblo and Larnko Gogbor. After the early death of his father, he and his mother relocated to her family's home in Senyah, where he spent his childhood surrounded by his maternal relatives.

In the early 1950s, he and his mother moved to Kakata and later to Monrovia, where he began his formal education at the Government Morning School. He graduated from Laboratory High School in 1966 and went on to earn a degree in economics from the University of Liberia in 1970. While in college, Mr. Richards worked as a cadet in the Finance Department at the Freeport of Monrovia, where he was later employed full-time after graduation.

In 1974, he moved to the United States with his young family to pursue graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts. He earned his master's degree in accounting in 1976 and went on to work at Price Waterhouse as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). In 1979, he returned to Liberia and became the Controller of the National Port Authority (NPA), a position he held until 1982.

In 1983, Mr. Richards founded H. Richards & Company, an independent accounting firm. What began in a friend's office quickly grew into a respected medium-sized firm, providing auditing and financial advisory services across Liberia. His vision, discipline, and dedication positioned the firm as a leader in the local financial sector.

Mr. Richards married Linda Mae Gaba in 1987, an educator then serving as an instructor at Cuttington University. During Liberia's civil unrest, the family relocated multiple times—to Ghana in 1992, back to Liberia in 1993, and then to Ivory Coast in 1996. In 1999, they settled permanently in Columbus, Ohio.

In Columbus, Mr. Richards founded Providence Accounting Services, which served clients throughout the Central Ohio area. He remained active in his profession and community, offering tax and financial services while continuing his lifelong commitment to mentoring young Liberians. Many benefited from his guidance, encouragement, and financial support as they pursued secondary and post-secondary education in both the U.S. and Liberia.

Mr. Richards was also an active member of several community and faith-based organizations, including the Gideon Men's Society and the American Baptist Society.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Linda, and his children: Mens'leh, Sau, Wudi, Meeteemai, Leah, Vee, Garmonyou, Love, and Amelia. He also leaves behind eleven grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends whose lives he touched deeply.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.