Verne Delbert Richter
Marriages
Ruby Christine Robison - July 8, 1937
Avis Lee Cloud - April 15, 1977
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7B - February 25, 2011
Verne was born February 2,
1917 in Longdale, Oklahoma to
Thomas and Etha (Farley) Richter.
He went to his heavenly home
on February 23, 2011 at the age of
94. Verne's mother died when he
was 18 months old and he went to
live with an aunt, and was later
raised by a first cousin and her
husband, Alpha and Maurice
Stafford. They preceded him in death as well as his natural father
Thomas Richter and a brother, Lee Richter.
He attended school in Cedar Springs and Longdale, Oklahoma and
graduated from Longdale High School in 1934. He married Ruby
Christine (Robison) on July 8, 1937, she preceded him in death December
1975. They had two daughters who survive, Berna Sue
(Dean) Hines of Grand Junction, and Janet Elaine (Ken) Henry of
Fruita. Also surviving are six grandchildren, Shanna (Jeffrey)
Miller, Sharla (John) Skillicorn, Dena (Jesse) Watson, all of Fruita,
CO; Shane (Megan) Henry of Lakewood, CO; Christine (David)
Holder of Lynchburg, VA and Heidi (Jonathan) Fuller of Aurora,
CO and 15 great grandchildren. He is also survived by a step-sister,
Patrica (Robert) Weiss of Ephraim, UT and many nieces, nephews
and a multitude of friends.
He married Avis Lee Cloud on April 15, 1977. She survives as
well as three step-daughters, Carol Wanczyk and Glenda Cloud of
Grand Junction, and Jeanne (Rick) Magor of Farmington, NM;
seven step-grandchildren, Carolyn Pacheco, Angela (Michael)
Johnson, Mark Wanczyk and Lacey Cloud all of Grand Junction;
Allison Wanczyk, Denver, CO; Melody (Hansen) Begay of Farmington,
NM and Emily Magor, New York and three step-great
grandchildren.
Verne worked with heavy machinery early on, working on several
large dam projects, including Canton Dam in Canton, Oklahoma and
John Martin Dam, near Hasty, Colorado. After an injury he went
back to Oklahoma to farm. In 1947, they moved to Fruita, Colorado
because of a health problem with his oldest daughter. He worked at
a Sand and Gravel Company in Grand Junction and then went to
work for the D & R G W Railroad in Grand Junction. He worked as
a switchman and brakeman for 34 years retiring in 1981. He was referred
to by co-workers as "Mr. Sunshine" - always having a smile
and good attitude. He also loved to farm, and raised tomatoes for a
canning factory in Grand Junction, and later raised hay seed.
He was a life-long member of Assembly of God churches, first in
Oklahoma and then in Colorado and most recently attended and was
a member of Victory Life Church.
Visitation will be today from 4 - 6:00 p.m. at Callahan-Edfast
Mortuary. Funeral service will be held Saturday, February 26, 2011
at 10:00 a.m. at Victory Life Church. Burial is at New Elmwood
Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Victory Life Church, 2066
Hwy. 6 & 50, Fruita, CO 81521 or Hospice & Palliative Care of
Western Colorado, 3990B N. 12th St., Grand Junction , CO 81506.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 4A - February 26, 2011
Verne was born February 2,
1917 in Longdale, Oklahoma to
Thomas and Etha (Farley) Richter.
He went to his heavenly home
on February 23, 2011 at the age of
94. Verne's mother died when he
was 18 months old and he went to
live with an aunt, and was later
raised by a first cousin and her
husband, Alpha and Maurice
Stafford. They preceded him in death as well as his natural father
Thomas Richter and a brother, Lee Richter.
He attended school in Cedar Springs and Longdale, Oklahoma and
graduated from Longdale High School in 1934. He married Ruby
Christine (Robison) on July 8, 1937, she preceded him in death December
1975. They had two daughters who survive, Berna Sue
(Dean) Hines of Grand Junction, and Janet Elaine (Ken) Henry of
Fruita. Also surviving are six grandchildren, Shanna (Jeffrey)
Miller, Sharla (John) Skillicorn, Dena (Jesse) Watson, all of Fruita,
CO; Shane (Megan) Henry of Lakewood, CO; Christine (David)
Holder of Lynchburg, VA and Heidi (Jonathan) Fuller of Aurora,
CO and 15 great grandchildren. He is also survived by a step-sister,
Patrica (Robert) Weiss of Ephraim, UT and many nieces, nephews
and a multitude of friends.
He married Avis Lee Cloud on April 15, 1977. She survives as
well as three step-daughters, Carol Wanczyk and Glenda Cloud of
Grand Junction, and Jeanne (Rick) Magor of Farmington, NM;
seven step-grandchildren, Carolyn Pacheco, Angela (Michael)
Johnson, Mark Wanczyk and Lacey Cloud all of Grand Junction;
Allison Wanczyk, Denver, CO; Melody (Hansen) Begay of Farmington,
NM and Emily Magor, New York and three step-great
grandchildren.
Verne worked with heavy machinery early on, working on several
large dam projects, including Canton Dam in Canton, Oklahoma and
John Martin Dam, near Hasty, Colorado. After an injury he went
back to Oklahoma to farm. In 1947, they moved to Fruita, Colorado
because of a health problem with his oldest daughter. He worked at
a Sand and Gravel Company in Grand Junction and then went to
work for the D & R G W Railroad in Grand Junction. He worked as
a switchman and brakeman for 34 years retiring in 1981. He was referred
to by co-workers as "Mr. Sunshine" - always having a smile
and good attitude. He also loved to farm, and raised tomatoes for a
canning factory in Grand Junction, and later raised hay seed.
He was a life-long member of Assembly of God churches, first in
Oklahoma and then in Colorado and most recently attended and was
a member of Victory Life Church.
Visitation will be today from 4 - 6:00 p.m. at Callahan-Edfast
Mortuary. Funeral service will be held Saturday, February 26, 2011
at 10:00 a.m. at Victory Life Church. Burial is at New Elmwood
Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Victory Life Church, 2066
Hwy. 6 & 50, Fruita, CO 81521 or Hospice & Palliative Care of
Western Colorado, 3990B N. 12th St., Grand Junction , CO 81506.
