BEAUMONT, Texas — Members of the community are mourning the loss of a man who opened what is now a Beaumont staple and is described as a cornerstone in the neighborhood.
Edmund Richard died March 15, 2023 at 83 years old. Since 1993, he and his family have been cooking soul food in Beaumont’s South End at Richard's Café.
Richard, along with his wife Mary, opened Richard’s Café on Magnolia Avenue. The café is one of Beaumont's first Black-owned restaurants.
The Beaumont staple is not just a restaurant, but a family legacy.
"My grandmother and all of my aunties, uncles, cousins, us, grandchildren, we even have great-grandchildren that work here," Natasha Peterson, Richard’s granddaughter, said.
Those who knew and loved Richard believe he left a lasting legacy within the Beaumont community. Loved ones describe him as the patriarch of the family who pushed everyone around him to have a good work ethic.
"My granddaddy said, and he stood on it, 'Don't close the door,'" Jasmine Gunner, Richard's granddaughter, said. "On the day he died, we kept the doors open because that was his founding words 'Do not close the doors.'"
Not only is Richard remembered as the life of the party, his family said he will remain in their memories as a man who loved people and had a love for food. They believe his passions made him a successful and beloved business owner.
"They would cook lots of food, and they would do it all the time," Gunner said. "So their love for food and what they started for us, started for the family, for the community ... It was very important."
Richard's family feels he lived a long and happy life. They are proud of the lessons he passed down to them.
“His legacy was to put God first in everything and anything you do,” Peterson said.
The family wants the community to remember Richard's fun spirit. They want the community to remember the lasting legacy and impact he left on his customers, family, and friends.
"He always was a positive role model," Peterson said. "He always pushed hard work and positivity. It's no need for us to be sad. My grandfather lived a good life."
The community is gathering at Richard's Café to reflect on the life and legacy of Edmund Richard Saturday. A funeral service for Richard will be held Saturday, March 25, 2023, at 1o a.m. at Calvary Mortuary Chapel with interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park under the direction of Calvary Mortuary staff.
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