Mary Ellen Richter, 96

Blue Earth — Funeral services for Mary Ellen Adams Richter, age 96, who died on Dec. 26, 2008, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center in Blue Earth, were held Dec. 31, 2008, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Elmore, burial followed in Riverview Cemetery, Elmore. Patton Funeral Home and Cremation Service assisted the family with arrangements.

Mary Ellen Adams Richter was born on March 16, 1912, in Algona, Iowa to William Wallace Adams and Mary Elizabeth Dutton Adams. She graduated from the Algona Normal Training class of 1930. In the fall of that year she moved to Springfield Township in Kossuth County, Iowa, where she taught rural school for two years.

While teaching school, she met her future husband, Otto Richter and they married in the Methodist parsonage at Lakota, Iowa, on Feb. 12, 1932.

They lived on the same farm in Springfield Township for 35 years.

Because of Otto’s health they retired in 1964 and moved to Elmore which has been her home ever since. Otto passed away on Feb. 26, 1984.

To this union were born four children, two boys and two girls. After her marriage she was instructed in the Lutheran faith and became a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Elmore. She has been a member of the church financial committee and held various offices in the Ladies Aid and LWML and helped organize and work for the Trinity Quilting Ladies for years.

She is survived by sons Marvin (Mary) Norwood and Donald (Janet) of Onamia, daughters LaVonne (Clayton) Wolf of North Mankato and Jeannette Eichhorn of Elmore. Also surviving are ten grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her husband Otto, sons-in-law Jack and Lee Eichhorn and six sisters and one brother.

Web tributes may be left at www.pattonfh.com