Samuel Asa Richardson was born February 17, 1900 to Joseph Henry and Hattie (Bass) Richardson. The Richardson family, like so many Black families of that period, came from Canada. Here, they settled on a farm south of Ypsilanti in the Township before moving to the city. Samuel became a mortician and opened the first Black-owned funeral parlor in town out of his home on South Washington. His former wife, Lucille, also became a funeral director. “Lucille’s” is still operating on South Adams. Samuel Asa Richardson died on October 16, 1982.