May 2008

Former VFBF director, AITC advocate dies

John Milton Richman Sr., a former director of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, passed away March 1.

Mr. Richman, who was 84, had served on the VFBF board representing District 6 for 21 years and was a past president of the Shenandoah County Farm Bureau.

The lifelong farmer and resident of Shenandoah County also served on his county board of supervisors and chaired it for several years and served on the county planning commission.

Within Farm Bureau, Mr. Richman is credited with helping establish the Agriculture in the Classroom program in Virginia. The program seeks to educate elementary and middle school students about agriculture by providing their teachers with free training and teaching materials aligned with the state’s Standards of Learning.

“His commitment to the future of education and agriculture in Virginia led to his helping start Virginia’s Agriculture in the Classroom program,” said Karen Davis, executive director of the Virginia Foundation for AITC. Mr. Richman served several terms on the foundation’s board.

“Those of us who had the honor to know and work with John Richman will miss him greatly,” Davis said.

Mr. Richman is survived by his wife of 64 years, Louise Kibler Richman; two sons and daughters-in-law; two daughters and sons-in-law; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.