Carlton Joseph "Bud" Richards, Jr.

BROWNSVILLE, TX. – Carlton Joseph Richards, Jr. was born July 12, 1937, in Houston, Texas, to Carlton Joseph Richards Sr. and Floreine Cox Richards. He was the oldest of four children.

Bud passed away on the 1st of September 2026, at his home in Brownsville, Texas, at the age of 89.

Bud’s life was shaped by family, hard work, service, friendship, music, travel, golf, fishing, and an unwavering belief that you took care of your people.

Bud was only 12 years old when his father was accidentally electrocuted while working a job at a local grocery store. His mother, Floreine, was suddenly left to raise four children with very little money or resources.

From that point forward, Bud felt a responsibility to be “the man of the family.” He looked after his younger siblings and carried that sense of responsibility throughout his entire life. Even as an adult, and right up until his final days, he was still checking on his siblings, making sure they were okay and giving his big brother advice.

Bud graduated from Port Neches High School and attended business school. He later served in the Air Force Reserves as an Airman Second Class and received an honorable discharge in 1962.

Bud met Lynne Payne on a blind date in Port Arthur, Texas. Lynne and her parents, Walter and Clara, had moved from the East Coast to Port Arthur when her father was transferred there with Gulf Oil. Lynne was an only child and a debutante. Bud had no idea what a debutante was.

Bud and Lynne were married in May 1958 at St. George’s Episcopal Church and spent the next 68 years building a life together. They were opposites in many ways, but somehow those differences worked. Wherever they lived, they became involved in the community, their children’s activities, church, volunteering and, of course, having fun. Their marriage was built on family, friendship, hard work, travel and a whole lot of stories.

As a young man, Bud was mischievous and very funny. In his own words, “I was not easy to supervise.” He was one of the best storytellers ever. And like all good storytellers, he embellished when necessary.

Bud had an unbelievable memory for details, history, places and people. He could remember streets and roads in practically every town he had ever lived in or traveled through. Some of Bud’s best childhood memories were of his friend Joe Merchant. They met in fourth grade and remained friends into adulthood. The stories of their adventures are best left between the two of them, just in case the law is still looking for them both.

Bud never met a stranger. Neither did Lynne. The two of them could talk to anyone, anywhere, forever. And somehow, no matter what part of the country or world they traveled to, they would eventually run into someone who knew Bud or knew of Bud. People often told Lynne and the kids how much fun it must be to live with Bud. And most of the time, it was.

Bud spent 35 years with Southwestern Bell, SBC, and AT&T, beginning his career as a cable splicer in Port Arthur. Over the years, he held a variety of positions as he moved up the career ladder. His career took the family from Port Arthur to Beeville, Austin, Corpus Christi, back to Austin, and ultimately to Brownsville, where the family settled in 1973. Bud eventually retired as SBC External Affairs Area Manager of the Rio Grande Valley.

During his telephone career, Bud met and befriended countless public officials, including congressmen, senators, governors and presidents. He shook hands with four presidents, U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton, Lyndon B. Johnson, and George W. Bush, and Mexican President Vicente Fox. He also personally knew four Texas governors.

One of the highlights of his career came in 1988, when he represented Southwestern Bell and the City of Brownsville in communications efforts surrounding the tragic Amigo Department Store collapse.

Retirement did not slow Bud down. He later hosted a public affairs program on KTEX Radio, where he received high praise for the quality of his guests and the content of his program. He also served as a City Commissioner for the City of Brownsville from 1998 to 2001.

Bud considered it a privilege to represent the citizens of Brownsville. He was a man for the people, never afraid of discussion or debate and never one to back down when something affected the people he represented. He definitely spoke his mind.

Politics brought him many lifelong friendships, and a few not so friendly relationships, as politics sometimes do.

Bud believed everyone had a responsibility to give back to their community, and he lived that belief. Throughout his life, he volunteered his time and talents to countless organizations and causes. Among his many community roles, he served as President of the Rio Grande Valley Chamber of Commerce, President of the Propeller Club, President of the Port Arthur Jaycees, and served with the Literacy Council of Brownsville, the Civil Service Board of Brownsville, and the Board of Regents for UT Pan-American. He was honored as Man of the Year, by the Brownsville Rotary club, of which he was a longtime member.

He was, in every sense, an ultimate volunteer.

He also believed in involving his family in the things that mattered to him. He coached his son Brian in Little League Baseball and Pop Warner Football and was involved in the activities of his children and grandchildren wherever the family lived. He involved his family in community events and encouraged Cathi to apply for a position at the telephone company and participate in community events after she became employed.

Bud was the family’s go to guy. If something broke, you called Bubba. If a company didn’t honor a guarantee, you called Bubba. If you needed to know how something worked, where something was, what road to take, what product to buy, how to fix something or what had happened somewhere 30 years ago, you called Bubba.

He could fix almost anything, back when almost everything could still be fixed.

He was also famously loyal to products he trusted. Michelin tires were his favorite. Moen faucets were his choice. And Speed Queen washers were the only way to go.

Bud took pride in doing things well, whether it was fixing something around the house, working on a car, building a fishing rod, helping a neighbor, or serving his community. He made sure his children knew how to change a flat tire, check the oil and radiator, and maintain their vehicles. He faithfully reminded everyone to change the air filters in their cars.

Bud was also a craftsman. For many years, he built custom fishing rods, creating beautiful, personalized pieces that became treasured possessions. His work was featured in the Brownsville News in 1986. He once gifted U.S. Senator Phil Gramm with a personally customized fishing rod and received a gracious letter of thanks in return.

Bud loved the outdoors. He taught both of his children how to fish, and family memories were filled with fishing from piers and boats, camping at Inks Lake and Bastrop, and trips to Six Flags Over Texas and Astroworld.

His love of golf became another family tradition. He played as long as he physically could and especially enjoyed playing with Brian and his son-in-law, Robert. He encouraged Christie to join her high school golf team, and that love of the game has continued into another generation with Barrett and Brooks.

Bud even had a hole in one on September 26, 1988, at VICC in Brownsville, and he had the official certificate to prove it.

Bud and Lynne also shared a love of travel. They traveled in everything from their early days in tents to retirement in high dollar RVs and visited almost every state in the country, including Alaska, as well as Canada. They traveled together with Jack Dog and with friends and made lifelong friendships along the way.

During the summers of Christie and Scott’s childhood, Bud and Lynne would park their RV at Outdoor Resorts in Port Isabel. The kids spent weeks with Bubba and Mimi fishing, swimming and learning what might best be described as “lifestyle lessons.”

When the RV finally had to be sold, it was bittersweet. So many memories had been made along the way.

Music was another lifelong passion. Bud loved live music and had an extensive collection of music of all kinds, but his favorites were Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Elvis Presley.

He loved old time country and western, blues, smooth jazz and honky tonk, but Elvis held a special place in his heart. Bud and Lynne visited Graceland, where they immersed themselves in everything Elvis. Bud’s love for Elvis went far beyond simply enjoying his music. He was fascinated by the man, his life, and his legacy. His music files included recordings of almost every song Elvis Presley ever recorded.

When it came to Willie Nelson, no one was better than Willie Nelson, and “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” was a favorite. Bud and Lynne took Cathi to her first concert to see Willie and Waylon. Cathi and Brian inherited their father’s love of good music.

Bud loved his family deeply, even if he did not always express his feelings in the traditional way. He showed people he loved them by taking care of them.

When he became a grandfather, he was fondly given the name “Bubba,” and it quickly became a name that fit him perfectly. To his grandchildren and great grandchildren, he was not just their grandfather. He was their Bubba, their teacher, their storyteller, their fishing buddy, and someone they knew would always be there for them.

He was a fun loving grandfather to Christie and Scott and great-grandfather to Barrett and Brooks. He taught the grandkids how to fish, traveled with them, attended baseball and kickball tournaments, and loved hearing about whatever was happening in their lives.

He shamelessly bragged about his grandchildren and later his great grandsons, Barrett Carlton and Brooks Allen, to practically anyone who would listen. He loved sending emails to friends and family about his grandchildren, often making sure his entire contact list knew just how proud he was of them.

In his later years, Bud often spoke about how much he loved his son-in-law, Robert, his daughter-in-law, Elaine, and his favorite grandson-in-law, Daryl. They were not simply spouses of his children. He considered them his own children, and they were family in every sense of the word.

Bud was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Brownsville. His faith gave him hope, especially during the difficult final years of his life. He looked forward to a day when there would be no more pain or worry and where he would once again be reunited in Heaven with his mom and dad, his brother Jerry, his son-in-law Robert, and especially Cookie and Jack, his beloved dogs, along with ornery Willie the cat, and many others.

After all, Heaven may need a little supervision, too.

Bud’s love for his family was especially evident in some of his final conversations with them. He spoke often about how proud he was of his children and all they had accomplished in their lives.

He was especially proud of both Cathi and Brian and the people they had become. He was equally proud of his grandchildren, Christie and Scott, and loved hearing about their lives and accomplishments. He looked forward to seeing what his great grandsons, Barrett and Brooks, would accomplish as they grew up. He was already proudly watching the next generation and was excited about the men they would become.

Bud also spoke often about his mother, Floreine. He missed her tremendously and remembered her as a very special woman. He admired her strength and everything she did to raise her children after the loss of their father. The responsibility she carried and the lessons she taught stayed with Bud throughout his entire life.

Although Bud had spent most of his life being the one everyone could call for advice, he never stopped being a big brother. He loved his brother, Jerry, and his sisters, Jacquelyn and Barbara, tremendously. That love and concern for his siblings remained with him throughout his life.

The day before his death, Bud spent time with his son Brian and his sister, Barbara. His family is grateful for those final moments together.

Bud is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, Lynne Payne Richards; daughter, Catherine “Cathi” Richards Garza; son, Brian Richards and Elaine Pruden; granddaughter, Christie Garza Roberts and her husband, Daryl; grandson, Scott Garza and his wife, Lauren; and great-grandsons, Barrett Carlton and Brooks Allen Roberts.

He is also survived by his sisters, Jacquelyn Sue Steen of Port Arthur, Texas and Barbara Richards of Rancho Viejo, Texas, and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carlton Joseph Richards, Sr. and Floreine Cox Richards; his infant son, Carlton Joseph Richards III; his brother, Gerald “Jerry” Richards; and his son-in-law, Robert D. Garza.

He was also preceded in death by beloved members of the four-legged family who were very much a part of his life, Cookie, Jack, and ornery Willie the cat.

To all of the friends who were part of Bud’s life, his family extends heartfelt thanks. Bud valued the people in his life and was at his best when surrounded by friends.

A special thank you to Brian and Elaine for the extraordinary love, time, and care they gave to both Bud and Lynne during the last year. They were there for the appointments, the phone calls, the decisions, the everyday needs and all the things that come with caring for aging parents. They stepped up when they were needed and continued to make sure both parents were cared for, supported and loved.

As his daughter, I want the world to know that my parents are my heroes. My dad was my go-to person for so many things and for so much advice. He didn’t always share his feelings or emotions with words, but he had his own ways of letting you know how much he cared. He was my go-to person, just as he was for Robert and my kids. If I needed to know something, anything, I called Bubba.

He loved talking on the phone, especially during his later years when the telephone became one of his lifelines to the people he loved. He loved email, too, and regularly forwarded funny emails, history lessons and interesting information about places he had visited or things he had experienced.

He was incredibly generous with his time, attention and knowledge. I am so proud of him as my dad. I couldn’t have designed anyone better.

The last two years were incredibly hard for our family. My husband, Robert, became very ill and passed away in January 2026. Daddy’s brother Jerry, whom he spoke to every single day, passed away in April. His beloved dog and best friend Jack died in March. My mom relocated to Corpus in June as her health declined and she needed more care.

As Parker McCollum sings, “it’s been a hell of a year.”

My dad spent his life taking care of people.

Now it is time for him to rest.

We love you and will miss you always and forever.

At this time, no funeral services are scheduled.

Memories of Carlton may be shared at www.darlingmouser.com.

Personalized funeral arrangements directed by Steven R. Hieu Bailey, CFSP and Staff have been entrusted to the care of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home at 945 Palm Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas 78520, (956) 546-7111.