Tragic Details About Home Improvement Star Patricia Richardson's Life

Patricia Richardson, the mom on "Home Improvement," has had quite a fruitful career since the series' end in 1999. The actress has gone on to appear in numerous TV series and movies, including "The West Wing," "Strong Medicine," "Grey's Anatomy," and the HBO Max animated series "Charlotte's Web." But to millions of fans, Richardson is eternally Jill Taylor, the out-testosteroned wife and boy mom who kept hubby Tim (Tim Allen) grounded. The role earned her four Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations (she'll always be a winner in our hearts).

Richardson's path to stardom has had some sad turns along the way. Born in the D.C. suburbs, she moved frequently as a child because of her father's Navy career. Her family relocated to Texas when she was a high school junior. She wanted to stay in Maryland as a boarding school student, but her parents nixed the idea. "I was the black sheep of the family, really rebellious, and they were afraid that if they let me out of my sight, they'd never see me again," she explained to Texas Monthly. The decision proved to be a wise one; in her new school, Richardson joined the drama club and found her passion. "I had been a problem child, but once I got into acting, my parents never had any more trouble with me, because all of that energy was directed in a positive way," she said. Richardson found success in her chosen career, but she still continued to encounter heartaches both on and off set.

There were some rocky relationships within the cast of "Home Improvement" during its eight-season run. For instance, Patricia Richardson reports that the moms of her TV sons — Zachery Ty Bryan, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and Taran Noah Smith — used to cause drama as they tried to negotiate more screen time for their kids. Thomas caused even more of a rift on set when he left the show before the final season. His reason may have been relatable — he just wanted to experience some regular high school life — but it left his fellow actors feeling hurt, particularly when he snubbed an appearance in the series finale. "it's a pretty sore point around here," Richardson told TV Guide (via New York Post) at the time.

More bad blood flowed between Richardson and Tim Allen when talks began for a ninth season of the sitcom. Richardson, who felt the show had run its course, told producers she'd stay on the condition of being paid the same rate as Allen, as well as getting an executive producing credit. Once the offer was rejected, she walked. "I was mad at Tim because he was leaving me alone being the only person saying no, which made me feel terrible and like the bad guy," she told The Los Angeles Times, "and he was upset with me for leaving." Though the two stars aren't the best of friends today, their relationship has warmed enough to allow for brief reconnections. Richardson made guest appearances on Allen's subsequent shows "Last Man Standing" and "Shifting Gears."

While she was still getting a foothold in the acting industry, Richardson met and married fellow actor Ray Baker. The couple moved to L.A. so she could pursue her acting projects, and it was then she was offered her life-changing role in "Home Improvement." Her life at home had changed as well: At the time of the offer, she was a mom of three, including newborn twins Roxanne and Joseph. The producers were able to give her a nursery space when the children were small, but as the series went on, Richardson had to devote more time to the show and less to her family. "Because I was involved in all the writing, I was away from them more than I wanted and felt I missed so many things," she told Closer magazine in 2018. The distance put a strain on her marriage, despite their best efforts, and they divorced.

The actress went on to a relationship with psychologist Mark Cline for a time in the early 2000s, but today is quite content to remain uncoupled. As recently as October 26, Richardson posted a meme sent to her by her sister. It showed a posted flyer reading: "HELLO. I'm looking for a smart guy who can be my future husband. This is my phone number." What followed was an elaborate math equation featuring square roots, trigonometry figures, and pi. "What is the answer math geniuses?" Richardson wrote. "And no not looking for a husband — once was enough for me."

Not long after Patricia Richardson's mother, Mary, passed away in 2002, she and her sisters noticed their dad, Laurence, wasn't acting like the "unstoppable force" they'd always known. As she described in an essay for CurePSP, her father began to fall more often, and his driving ability became so impaired that his car had to be taken away. Worse yet, the normally brilliant Laurence began losing the ability to speak and to think clearly. Neurological testing revealed a tragic diagnosis: progressive supranuclear palsy, an incurable brain disease which gradually robs patients of physical and cognitive functions. 

Richardson, who visited as often as she could between tapings of "The West Wing," witnessed her proud naval officer father decline to the point where he spent his days virtually motionless in bed or in a recliner, staring at the TV or at nothing at all. For a time, he was able to give yes-or-no answers by giving a thumbs up or down with his one functioning hand, but "I can't tell you what a loss it was when he no longer had the strength to command that thumb to go up or down or to just shake hands," Richardson recalls. In December 2005, three years after his diagnosis, her father lost the ability to swallow, signaling that the end was near. The Richardson sisters spent four days by their dad's bedside to say their final goodbyes. Wanting to help keep other families from going through similar heartache, Richardson has become the national spokesperson for CurePSP. 

While many 90s sitcom moms who are unrecognizable today, Patricia Richardson hasn't lost her signature sweet smile. There's no doubt a lot of time has passed since her "Home Improvement" days, though. When the series began, she had a kindergartner and three-month-old twins; now Henry is a senior producer for Bloomberg Business; Joseph is an entertainer; and Roxie, who at last report was working in advertising, was married in 2023. Richardson is also a doting "Mimsy" to her two grandsons by Henry. But with her kids on their own, the versatile actress is apparently finding her nest a little too empty. 

In late October 2025, Richardson put her Brentwood estate on the market after 30 years of calling it home. It can't have been an easy decision; the house holds many memories, including its use as a site for two family weddings. But rambling around a seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom property all by yourself has to feel weird. (And there are only so many parties a person can throw, even when your backyard features a pool and barbecue station.) Reportedly, the actress plans to buy a condo, which should be much more suited to her needs. If she gets her $10 million asking price for the house, that should make it easier for her to find her new forever home.