Dr. Stuart Richardson, Someone to Know

For nearly 45 years, Stuart Richardson, O.D., has served the Fallon community as an optometrist, earning loyalty from generations of patients and leaving his mark far beyond the exam room. Richardson, a Greenville, Maine, native, opened his practice on Maine Street in January 1981 after graduating from UC Berkeley’s Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science and one year of living and working in France. Ironically, the street name echoes his New England roots. Many of the original patients still seek his care, while newcomers are welcome for comprehensive eye exams and updated prescriptions as needs evolve.

Richardson’s influence extends well outside of optometry. Shortly after arriving in Fallon, he joined the Fallon Library Board, serving eight years, and later contributed to the Newlands Water Protection Association. He ran for County Commissioner in 2000 and has served 18 years on the planning commission. In 2002, seeking further education while maintaining his practice, Richardson enrolled in online courses at Concord School of Law, passed the California Bar in 2009, and ran an online law practice for 6 years.

In 2018, Richardson campaigned for Justice of the Peace, but Judge Ben Trotter won the seat. Richardson was subsequently appointed Fallon Justice of the Peace Pro Tempore by the Churchill County Commissioners. In this role, he presides over criminal, civil, eviction, and traffic matters, but he says officiating weddings is his favorite responsibility, taking joy in seeing couples begin their journey together.

Richardson’s commitment to community revitalization is evident in his stewardship of the historic Fallon Theater. In 2015, he fulfilled a lifelong fascination by purchasing the theater, a nod to his high school days working at Greenville’s local movie house. His first project involved reupholstering the seats with covers sewn from repurposed jeans, a collaborative effort with Fallon’s sewing club and local volunteers. He expressed gratitude for their creativity and dedication. Later that year, D & D Plumbing replaced cast-iron pipes originally installed in 1920, bringing the building up to date. Richardson cherishes stories from patrons who first visited as children and now return as adults to enjoy the theater’s restored charm.

In 2017, Richardson sold the theater to a nonprofit and remains actively involved on its board, often seen working the snack bar during nostalgic movie screenings. Away from downtown, he tends his favorite hobby, an alfalfa farm and large orchard on Swingle Bench, where he manages hay, fruit trees, and a herd of goats, finding satisfaction in the challenges of agricultural life.

Growing up in Greenville, Richardson learned the importance of small-town values and community engagement, lessons reflected in his decades of service and leadership. “It’s important to be a part of your community,” he says, a philosophy that continues to shape his impact in Fallon.