On Christmas day 1955, in Los Angeles, California, Vera Richardson had time to cook Christmas dinner before going to the hospital to deliver a bouncing baby boy. Vera, and her husband, Cleveland Richardson, Sr., named this son Cleveland Richardson, Jr., but almost from the day he came home, he was called �Pooch� or �Poochie.� Two brothers and two sisters waited for him at home, and two brothers would come after him. His parents and a sister departed this life before him.

Pooch was raised in and received his education in Los Angeles. He attended 122nd Street, and 75th Street Elementary schools; and Bethune Junior High School. He graduated from Fremont High in 1973 and attended El Camino College before starting his career.

Even as a child, he showed a knack for working with machines. As a teen, he could be found under the hood of a car, taking apart and rebuilding computers, or working with electrical components.

In 1974 he was hired as a technician at Pro-Line Corporation, a premier, Black hair care products manufacturer. Always a hard worker, Cleve quickly advanced to the position of Supervisor of maintenance mechanics. He was now responsible for maintaining all the corporation�s production lines. In 1979, when Pro-Line relocated from L.A. to Dallas, Texas, Cleve and his brother, Andre, moved to and helped the company become established in the new city.

In 1981, he returned to L.A. and continued to improve his skills as a maintenance mechanic, for Tu-K Industries before going into partnership with a long-time friend to form their own hair care products company. He later partnered with his brother, Butch, to establish Independent Rail and Container Blocking Services (I.R.C.B.S.). They received contracts from Santa Fe Railroad to repair and maintain shipping containers. Entrepreneurship was hard though, so in 1983 Cleve took a position as a Maintenance Mechanic with Ralphs Grocery Company.

In January 1986, Cleve confessed Jesus and joined the Abundant Life Christian Church, pastored by Dr. John Tunstall. His work schedule prevented him from regular attendance but he maintained a strong, personal relationship with Christ.

In June 1986, a son, Kelon DeJuan, was born. In January 1987, Pooch married his high school sweetheart, Annie Lee Holmes, and in the same month, they purchased a home in Pasadena, California where they continued to reside.

In October 1987, their first child, Chloe Verlil was born; followed in March 1993 by their son, Cleveland, III. Poochie loved his family. He loved being at home with them and worked hard to provide a comfortable life for them. He could fix anything, and although he didn�t admit it, you knew that he enjoyed fixing things around the house, maintaining his yard, and working on his computers. He was a wonderful provider and couldn�t say no to the needs or wants of his family.

In 1993, Cleve accepted a job at the Beverly Hilton Hotel where he would advance to the position of Assistant Chief of Property Operations.

Chokma! In September 2013, Cleveland Richardson, Jr. affirmed his Native American heritage and became a legal citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. The Chickasaw are a tribe of Oklahoma Native Americans.

He retired from the Hilton in April 2016, and then had a chance to accompany Annie on business trips all over the country, and especially to pursue his passion for deep sea fishing.  He would spend hours preparing his gear before going out to fish all around Southern California. Invited by his neighbor, he became part of a group of retirees who loved to fish. They would go out 2-to-3 times per month. He loved it!

After the death of his dear sister, Patricia, in February 2017, Cleve�s own health began to decline, and he himself passed into glory on April 25, 2018.

Expecting to see him again is his wife of 31 years, Annie; Children: Kelon, Chloe, and Cleveland, III; Siblings: Ruby (James) Roberson, Robert â��Bobbyâ�� Barefield, Malvyn â��Butchâ�� Barefield, Velma â��Tinyâ�� (Norris) Dantzler, Dwyane â��Wyaneâ�� Richardson, and Andre (Denise) Richardson; â��friend brothersâ��: John â��Bernieâ�� (Gina) Johnson and Reginald â��Reggieâ�� (Monica) Wakefield; Mother-in-law, Lillie Mae Holmes; Brothers-in-Law: Spencer (Susana) Holmes, and James Calvin Holmes; Sisters-in-Law: Cassandra Richardson, Joyce Morgan, Beulah Ann Pendleton, Lynda Holmes, and Darlene Holmes; and a band of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.