When you sit down with Legacy Village of Jacksonville resident Dr. Bill Richards, you quickly sense the deep roots of his story—roots that stretch from the fields of Iowa to a life of service in Alabama and beyond. Born William Allan Richards on May 20, 1936, in Manning, Iowa, Bill grew up on a family farm that would shape his character for a lifetime. He was the middle child, with an older brother, Robert, and a younger sister, Joyce. Childhood for Bill meant responsibility from an early age: tending to 250 hogs and 1,500 chickens before the school day, milking cows, and even riding his Shetland pony, Spotty, to catch the bus. On Saturdays, he’d clean cattle barns and grind corn for feed—chores done not for allowance, but for $5 a week and ten gallons of gas, back when it cost just 19 cents a gallon. One of his proudest early achievements? Using the money he earned from raising pigs to buy a brand-new Ford in 1953, when he was just seventeen.

Life on the farm taught Bill the value of work and the joy of simple things. He remembers his father buying a shiny new 3M tractor and corn picker in 1951, and Bill’s job was to help haul the harvest home. There was no television and no indoor plumbing, but the farm was full of laughter, stories, and the music of polka bands—Bill’s favorite. He loved going to dance halls with friends and has never lost his fondness for “Beer Barrel Polka.”

After high school, Bill’s journey took him far from those Iowa fields. In college, he worked for Eastern Airlines before finding his true calling as a chiropractor—a career that would span an astounding 65 years. He studied at Logan University in St. Louis, Missouri, and later moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where he built a life and a practice dedicated to helping others. For Bill, chiropractic care was never just a job; it was a way to relieve pain and improve lives, one patient at a time.

Service was a thread that ran through everything he did. Bill served six years in the Army Reserves, earning recognition as an Expert Rifleman, and found joy in supporting his community through the Space City Lions Club. As both a dedicated member and club president, he helped lead projects for those with vision impairments and was honored with a paver on the “Knights of the Blind” Walkway at the Helen Keller Memorial Gardens in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Being inducted into the Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame is another proud moment, reflecting his lifelong support for athletics and the young people in his community.

Bill’s family has always been at the heart of his life. He married Jackie Richards in 1966, and together they built a loving home until her passing in 2003, after 37 years of marriage. Their children, Darryl and Billie Spradley, Jacqueline Richards, and Holly Richards, grew up surrounded by their father’s steady encouragement. Bill’s eyes light up when he talks about his grandchildren—Ally Garrison, Taylor, Eryn, and Kinsey Spradley, and Colin Sargeant—and he delights in cheering them on at volleyball games, just as he once did for his daughters. Though there are no great-grandchildren yet, Bill is always ready to share a story about a family trip or a proud moment on the sidelines.

His love for animals has been a constant, too, from his childhood pony and a rat terrier named Jiggs to Freeway, his Lhasa Apso in later years. Bill’s favorite things tend to be simple—fried shrimp and chicken, butter brickle ice cream, a cold Pepsi, and the color green. His favorite flower is the iris, and fall—especially football season—brings out his biggest smiles, especially when he’s rooting for Alabama.

Travel and music have always brought him joy. He still remembers a trip out West to see the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, and Pike’s Peak—a journey that reminded him of how much there is to experience in the world. Mollie B’s Polka Party is his favorite show, and he never misses a chance to tap his foot to a good polka tune.

When asked for words of wisdom, Dr. Bill offers the kind of advice that speaks to a lifetime of experience: “A farmer can shear his sheep every year but can only skin them once in a lifetime.” His favorite saying is a reminder of his values: “Sitting in a chicken house doesn’t make you a chicken; sitting in a church doesn’t make you a Christian. It’s your conduct outside the church that matters.”



These days, Dr. Bill is still an early riser, a sports fan, and a man whose life reflects hard work, resilience, and a deep love for family, faith, and community. His journey from the farm to the heart of Huntsville is proof that a life built on service and kindness leaves a legacy that keeps growing, season after season.