G. William "Bill" Richards (December 25, 1918 – November 30, 2005) was an American Latter-day Saint composer and organist. Richards was the son of

Stayner Richards Stayner Richards (December 20, 1885 – May 28, 1953) was a Mormon missionary in the United Kingdom and was a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1951 until his death. Richards was born in Salt ...

and Jane Taylor. As a young man, Richards served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in the

Eastern States The eastern states of Australia are the states and territories of Australia, states adjoining the east continental coastline of Australia. These are the mainland Australia, mainland states of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, New South Wales and Q ...

Mission. He was transferred to the California Mission to serve as organist of the church's exhibit at the

San Francisco World's Fair The Golden Gate International Exposition (GGIE) (1939 and 1940), held at San Francisco's Treasure Island, was a World's Fair celebrating, among other things, the city's two newly built bridges. The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge opened in 1936 ...

. Richards served in the United States army during World War II. He was a chaplain's assistant and carried an organ with him. He was involved in the Battle of the Bulge as well as the liberation of some German death camps. Richards then studied at the University of California, Berkeley, the

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory in New York City. The school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition, as well as a bachelor's in mu ...

and Columbia University. He later was a faculty member at New York University as well as serving as organist for various non-denominational services. Richards married his wife Claire Dyreng, whom he met while they were both music students in New York, in the Manti Temple in August 1955. They had four children. Richards later moved with his family to Reno, Nevada, where he served as executive vice-president of the Nevada Division of the

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than ...

. After he retired Richards took courses at Utah Technical College (now

Utah Valley University Utah Valley University (UVU) is a public university in Orem, Utah. UVU offers master's, bachelor's, associate degrees, and certificates. Previously called Utah Valley State College, the school attained university status in July 2008. History ...

) in building. Richards served in many positions in the LDS Church including bishop of the Manhattan Ward and a member of the committee that organized the 1985 English-language version of the LDS hymnal. Among the hymns in that publication with music by Richards is "From Homes of Saints Glad Songs Arise".

Sources

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Obituary: G. William Richards
" ''

Deseret News The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...

'', December 5, 2005. *

Karen Lynn Davidson Karen Lynn Davidson (1943–2019) was a Latter-day Saint hymn writer, author, and literary critic. Davidson wrote widely on the hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and of the Community of Christ. Education David ...

. ''Stories of Our Latter-day Saint Hymns''. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1988) p. 430. {{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, G. William 1918 births 2005 deaths 20th-century Mormon missionaries American Latter Day Saint hymnwriters American Mormon missionaries in the United States Columbia University alumni Manhattan School of Music alumni New York University faculty Musicians from Reno, Nevada Richards–Young family University of California, Berkeley alumni Utah Valley University alumni American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Latter Day Saints from California Latter Day Saints from New York (state) Latter Day Saints from Utah Latter Day Saints from Nevada