Lynn Woods trail named for late Lynnfield lawyer

LYNN – More than a year after a well-known Lynnfield lawyer died in a tragic skiing accident, he and his family’s name is immortalized in the woods that he loved so much.The Richardson Trail stretches one-half-to three-quarters of a mile through the wilderness of Lynn Woods and over Stone Tower, a tower that George Richardson and his family spent hours and thousands of dollars to improve.Nonprofit Friends of Lynn Woods and city and woods officials dedicated the path to Richardson and his family in a Friday afternoon ceremony in front of about a dozen Richardson family members.One of those was Gayle Richardson, the widow of George Richardson. Her husband did pro-bono work for the Lynn Woods nonprofit before he died in March of last year in a skiing accident in Switzerland.Gayle Richardson said Friday’s dedication brought up a lot of memories, “all of them good,” but bittersweet emotions.”We’re honored. It never occurred to me that this is going to happen” she said, before her face crinkled in tears. “I’m very emotional.”She said her husband, who loved the woods, would have been “embarrassed” to have such an honor bestowed upon him.”(Friends of Lynn Woods) had given him an honorary lifetime membership, so I guess that didn’t work, so they had to do a pathway for them,” she said, smiling through her tears.In 2010, she attended a ceremony with her husband when Stone Tower was reopened after a $150,000 donation from him and his family helped repair it.Ann Richardson Davis was one of those original donors. She flew in from Las Vegas to attend the pathway dedication before heading off on a Richardson family reunion.”It’s kind of hard because we were here at happy time two years ago,” she said. “It’s so different with my brother’s sudden accident. But time moves on.”Much at Lynn Woods has changed since two years ago, said Ranger Dan Small. At the dedication ceremony he explained how he uses the revitalized tower to teach school children. He said he’s proud to share that the tower has never been vandalized.”I know it’s a big project, and it’s the generosity of the Richardsons that made it happen,” he said.Lynn city councilors Dan Cahill and Brendan Crighton also attended the ceremony to give their thanks. Cahill presented a citation from the city of Lynn to Gayle Richardson and family.George Richardson’s support for the city, Cahill said, reading from the citation, “is a wonderful inspiration for all to follow.”Carol Oullette, a former Lynn resident, attended the dedication to show her support for the woods – a place she remembers spending “hot summer nights, swimming in the reservoir against the law.””Not too many cities can boast having their own woods,” she said.Mike Toomey, also at the ceremony, agreed that Lynn has something special. He said Friday’s trail dedication is a nod to the woods’ past and future.”It just finishes off so much that’s been done in the woods, to bring it back to how it was in our days,” he said.Although Friday brought tears for those still grieving, it also presented an opportunity to heal, said Gayle Richardson.”At home on the counter I have a picture of Georgie and me in front of the tower two years ago, so I was talking to it today,” she said. “But he didn’t talk back, he didn’t give me any advice. So I told him about it.”At the dedication, she read one of her late husband’s favorite benedictions, which she said summarized his philosophy of life: “Life is short, and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel away with us, so be swift to love and make haste to be kind.”Amber Parcher can be reached at [email protected].