Funeral services for Nicole Lynn Richardson, 27, of Grand Junction, Colorado, formerly of Jefferson, IA, will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday May 2, 2006 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson.  Interment will be in the Jefferson Cemetery.

The family will greet friends at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.  Monday May 1, 2006.

Memorials may be made in Nicole’s name and will be designated by her parents to one of Nicole’s favorite causes.

Nicole Lynn Richardson was born on December 26, 1978 in Jefferson, Iowa to Nancy J. and Guy W. Richardson.  She died of an accidental gunshot on April 25, 2006 in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Ms. Richardson lived in Jefferson and attended elementary school there into the third grade.  She then moved to Ames, Iowa, where she graduated from Ames High School in 1997.  She received her B.A. degree in Psychology from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa in 2001 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Oregon Knight School of Law, Eugene, Oregon, in 2004.

Ms. Richardson began her practice of law in October 2004 as a Deputy State Public Defender for the State of Colorado in their Grand Junction office.  She began her practice in County Court handling misdemeanor cases and doing juvenile cases in District Court.  She had recently been promoted to District Court Felony cases.  She had just won a not guilty verdict for her first felony trial.

Ms. Richardson is survived by her parents and step-parents, Guy and Katie Richardson of Jefferson, Iowa, and Nancy Richardson and Charles Krogmeier of Ankeny, Iowa; her paternal grandmother, Pauline Richardson, of Jefferson, Iowa; step-grandfather, Arnold Harjehausen, of Jefferson, Iowa; step-sister, Lisa (Steve) Courtney, of  Overland Park, Kansas; step-brother, Jim (Rebecca) Krogmeier, of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin; step-sister, Kate (Phil) McWaters, of Cincinnati, Ohio; step-brother, Robert Krogmeier, of Ames, Iowa; step-sister, Lisa (Nick) Bickelhaupt, of Ames, Iowa; three step-nephews, Grant McWaters and Lukas and Wyatt Courtney; many uncles, aunts, cousins and other extended relatives and many, many friends.

A memorial gathering for her Colorado co-workers, business associates and friends will be held at the Colorado Public Defenders Office, 105 West Main Street, Suite A, Grand Junction, Colorado on Friday April 28, 2006 beginning at 4:00 pm, with a presentation at 5:15 pm.  Nicole’s parents will greet visitors.