Joyce C. Sporre Richards

Bonnie was born on January 5, 1943 in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of James Earl and Lucille Smith. She graduated from Eastern High School in 1960. Bonnie worked in a variety of jobs, putting herself through college course by course, eventually earning her bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland at Baltimore County while working full time and raising two children. Bonnie married her first husband, William Sporre, in 1964 and in 1997 married Carl Thomas Richards, who would become her companion in travel and adventure until he passed in 2024.

Bonnie took great joy in watching her children and grandchildren grow and thrive, and she was a source of wit and wisdom for them. She was famously frugal, always looking for a discount, and every Christmas after the presents were opened she brought out a “gift” bag of mysterious items she had gotten for free over the course of the year. She loved white wine and turned up her nose at any crab that didn’t originate in the Chesapeake Bay. She claimed that the best crab cakes in the world were the ones that came from her kitchen, and her friends and family never had reason to doubt her.

She enjoyed playing bridge with her friends and was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Crofton and involved in a number of other civic endeavors.

 Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Carl Richards. She is survived by her sister, Beverly Denes; daughter Andrea Sporre (Chris Landers); son Eric Sporre (Michelle); Jeff Richards (Vicky) and Jason Richards (Kristen); grandchildren Emily Landers, Christian, Ellie and Matthew Sporre, Tyler, Riley, Kavela and Satori Richards, as well as loving nieces, nephews, colleagues and a large group of longtime friends particularly from Crofton and the beaches of Ocean City, MD

Bonnie was an avid philanthropist and regularly donated to a wide variety of causes. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your favorite charity. 

A celebration of life for family and friends will be announced at a later date.