Jan Ostrow Richards, a Palisadian since 1952, passed away on April 12 at the age of 76. Born in Seattle, Washington, on June 27, 1928, Jan moved with her parents, Katherine Welsh and R. Harold Ostrow, to the Napa Valley while in high school. There, she attended the Anna Head School in Berkeley. In 1946, the family moved to Westwood, where Jan attended UCLA. While president of the Chi Omega sorority, she became engaged to Sigma Alpha Epsilon president Russell J. Richards. After graduating from UCLA, they married on April 20, 1950 and two years later moved into their home at 362 Mount Holyoke Ave. in Pacific Palisades. Jan and Russ had three children, all of whom have stayed in the area. The couple bought Barrington Hardware Company in Brentwood Village in 1964 and ran the business together until Russ died in 1985 from ALS. Jan continued with the business and expanded it to open a second store in the 26th Street Mart. She closed the business in 1995 and retired so she could enjoy time with her family and friends. Jan loved her family, her friends and her garden. She loved to travel and took wonderful trips throughout the years. Jan had just sold her home on Mount Holyoke after 52 years and, for the past year, had been living in the Palisades with her daughter Anne, son-in-law David and her granddaughter, Kathie. In addition to her daughter, Jan is survived by her oldest son Paul Russell Richards, who lives in West Los Angeles with his daughter Heather Anne, and her youngest son, Robert Edward Richards, who lives in Brentwood. A memorial service will be held at the Methodist Church on Via de la Paz on Saturday, April 23 at 3 p.m. Afterward, there will be a celebration of Jan’s life at Anne, David and Kathie VanMiddlesworth’s home. The family suggests that donations can be made in Jan’s name to the UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.
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