Official Obituary of
Gordon B. Richter
March 2, 1953 ~ October 18, 2017 (age 64) 64 Years Old
Gordon Richter Obituary
Gordon Bruce Richter, age 64, of South Shore, SD, passed away on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, at Sanford Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 21, 2017, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in South Shore. Rev. Ken Nelson will officiate. Music will be provided by Colleen Quade as organist with congregational singing. The family is requested to meet at the church on Saturday by 10 a.m. for a prayer service.
Visitation will be held prior to and following the service on Saturday. Arrangements are being handled by the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel of Watertown.
Burial will take place at St. John's Lutheran Cemetery, Mazeppa Township, rural Summit, SD. Honorary pallbearers will be all of Gordon's grandchildren: Kaylee, Gwen, Kiersten, Isaac, Katelin, Jaclyn, Alex, Kalissa, Samson Bruce and another grandchild on the way.
Gordon was born on March 2, 1953, in Watertown, SD, to Otto and Loverne (Moyer) Richter. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church. Gordon attended rural school through the third grade and then attended school in Waverly, where he began playing his dad's tenor saxophone in the fourth grade. He participated in basketball, football and track during his high school years and worked with livestock and did fieldwork on the family farm while growing up. Gordon graduated with honors from Waverly High School in 1971. He graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1975. Following graduation, he briefly worked for an irrigation company.
Gordon met his future wife, Linda Johnson, in a cornfield in 1976. On October 15, 1977, Gordon and Linda were married in Revillo, SD. The couple farmed together near South Shore for many years, later renting the land out. Throughout the years, Gordon also drove school bus for Waverly School District, worked for Wayne Elshere in the crop spraying business, drove semi for US Food Service, and sold insurance with DeSmet Farm Mutual, which he had done for the past 20 years. Gordon continued his love for farming by raising sheep and putting up hay.
Gordon was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church where he served as an elder, treasurer, teacher and Sunday school superintendent. He also served as secretary of Germantown Township for many years. He enjoyed woodworking in his beautiful wood shop and loved reading, especially mysteries and books about WWII.
The highlight of Gordon's year was having all of his grandchildren visit for a week each summer to attend Vacation Bible School. It was a week he spent giving four wheeler rides, making projects in the workshop, and showing the kids how to care for the sheep.
Gordon and Linda observed their 40th wedding anniversary on October 15. Two days before their anniversary, while awaiting heart surgery, Gordon instructed his son Brian to use the $20 he had set aside in his pickup to make sure Linda got yellow roses, their wedding flower.
Gordon is survived by his wife, Linda, of South Shore; four children: James (Rachael) Richter of Grand Forks, ND; Emilie (Jake) Miller and Erik (Ashlie) Richter all of Pierre, SD; and Brian (Amber) Richter of Watertown; nine grandchildren with one on the way; his sister, Janet (Wayne) Keller, of Wallace, SD; and mother-in-law Bertha Johnson.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Paul.
When: October 21, 2017 9:30am - 10:30am
Location: Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Address: 206 E Berry Ave South Shore, SD 57263
When: October 21, 2017 10:30am
Location: Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Address: 206 E Berry Ave South Shore, SD 57263
Visitation will be held prior to and following the service on Saturday. Arrangements are being handled by the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel of Watertown.
Burial will take place at St. John's Lutheran Cemetery, Mazeppa Township, rural Summit, SD. Honorary pallbearers will be all of Gordon's grandchildren: Kaylee, Gwen, Kiersten, Isaac, Katelin, Jaclyn, Alex, Kalissa, Samson Bruce and another grandchild on the way.
Gordon was born on March 2, 1953, in Watertown, SD, to Otto and Loverne (Moyer) Richter. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church. Gordon attended rural school through the third grade and then attended school in Waverly, where he began playing his dad's tenor saxophone in the fourth grade. He participated in basketball, football and track during his high school years and worked with livestock and did fieldwork on the family farm while growing up. Gordon graduated with honors from Waverly High School in 1971. He graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1975. Following graduation, he briefly worked for an irrigation company.
Gordon met his future wife, Linda Johnson, in a cornfield in 1976. On October 15, 1977, Gordon and Linda were married in Revillo, SD. The couple farmed together near South Shore for many years, later renting the land out. Throughout the years, Gordon also drove school bus for Waverly School District, worked for Wayne Elshere in the crop spraying business, drove semi for US Food Service, and sold insurance with DeSmet Farm Mutual, which he had done for the past 20 years. Gordon continued his love for farming by raising sheep and putting up hay.
Gordon was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church where he served as an elder, treasurer, teacher and Sunday school superintendent. He also served as secretary of Germantown Township for many years. He enjoyed woodworking in his beautiful wood shop and loved reading, especially mysteries and books about WWII.
The highlight of Gordon's year was having all of his grandchildren visit for a week each summer to attend Vacation Bible School. It was a week he spent giving four wheeler rides, making projects in the workshop, and showing the kids how to care for the sheep.
Gordon and Linda observed their 40th wedding anniversary on October 15. Two days before their anniversary, while awaiting heart surgery, Gordon instructed his son Brian to use the $20 he had set aside in his pickup to make sure Linda got yellow roses, their wedding flower.
Gordon is survived by his wife, Linda, of South Shore; four children: James (Rachael) Richter of Grand Forks, ND; Emilie (Jake) Miller and Erik (Ashlie) Richter all of Pierre, SD; and Brian (Amber) Richter of Watertown; nine grandchildren with one on the way; his sister, Janet (Wayne) Keller, of Wallace, SD; and mother-in-law Bertha Johnson.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Paul.
Service Details.
Visitation
When: October 21, 2017 9:30am - 10:30am
Location: Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Address: 206 E Berry Ave South Shore, SD 57263
Service
When: October 21, 2017 10:30am
Location: Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Address: 206 E Berry Ave South Shore, SD 57263
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Gordon Richter
March 2, 1953-October 18, 2017
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