IN MEMORIAM
Elmer A.
Richards
By Lisa Kopochinski
Those in the pile driving industry who were fortunate
enough to know and work with Elmer A. Richards recall
a man who was a mentor to many.
It is with both sadness and fondness that Richards – who
passed away on Oct. 20, 2020 at the age of 90 – is being honored for
his contributions to the industry.
A former senior partner at PDCA engineering affiliate member
Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE), based in New
York City, Richards joined the firm in 1952 as a junior engineer
and progressed to become the firm’s senior partner, leading the
engineering firm before his retirement in 1997.
Richards managed the MRCE Soil Mechanics Laboratory for
several years. During his tenure as lab manager, he developed the
firm’s standards for inspection and logging of borings, descriptions
of soils and presentation of subsurface information in text and
drawings. These basic standards are still used today, a testimony to
their clarity and logical arrangement.
“When I was just starting, Elmer was a partner, but he took
the time to explain the technical reasons why specific colors were
used for each type of soil in the presentation graphics!” said Peter
Deming, MRCE’s current senior principal. “He was outgoing and
inspired confidence through his experiences. He participated as a
passive listener in technical debates, but often spoke out to provide
logical decision guidance after others had finished. Elmer did not
want to be the center of attention. He was transparent (a word
not used by his generation) when giving discipline discussions or
explaining communications or roles, etc.”
Career background
A graduate of Lehigh University, BSCE, in 1951, and Northwestern
University, MSCE, in 1952, Richards joined MRCE following
his graduation.
A partner from 1973 to 1997, he served as president of the
Moles organization and was awarded the Moles Member Award
in 1998. The Moles – a fraternal organization of the heavy
“Elmer Richards’ biggest
success was his reputation
for trusted and thorough
service. He had repeat
clients and spent very little
time pursuing projects.”
– Peter Deming
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