Wm. Richter

William Matthew "Butch" Richter was born on December 12, 1922 in Bird Island, MN. Butch was the son of William J. and Ella A. Richter. He was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith and graduated from St. Mary's Catholic Schools in Bird Island, MN. Butch attended St. John's University for a short time before enlisting in the Navy in 1942 and entered the V-5 Naval Aviation program. He first trained at St. Olaf College then went onto Le Mars, IA, and ended up in Pensacola, FL, as a radar man on the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Lake Champlain. Butch was united in marriage to Doris "Dory" Heglund at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, MN. They made their home in Granite Falls, MN, where Butch joined his father-in-law and brother-in-law in the grocery business. Butch then worked two years as a parts man at Granite Motors. In 1953, Butch joined Art Barber as co-owner of Granite Falls Construction Company and became sole owner in 1968 and changed the name to Granite Falls Redi Mix. Butch was also part owner of Granite Bowling Center and was instrumental in getting it built in 1957.Butch had a challenging start to life. At age 6, he lost his mother, Ella, who was pregnant, sister, Theresa, and brother, Jerome, when a hot water boiler burst in their home. Butch and his older sisters, Margaret and Helen, were blessed with stepmother, Clara, and seven additional siblings. Butch was a very community minded man and remained active until the very end with the American Legion, VFW, Knights of Columbus, and fundraising for Granite Falls Western Fest celebration. Butch's passions in life were baseball, bowling, gardening, and playing cards. He played baseball competitively until age 52 and then managed thereafter. Butch contributed endless hours to the Legion and VFW baseball programs and was instrumental in hosting the MN State Amateur Baseball Tournament in 1989 and 1999 at his ?home away from home?, Richter Field. He was inducted into the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970. Surviving family include his nine children: Bill (& Linda) Richter of Hecla, SD, Bob (& Margot) Richter of Granite Falls, MN, Dan (& Linda) Richter of Granite Falls, John (& Sherry) Richter of Granite Falls, Gail (& Al) Carstensen of Hastings, MN, Jean Haug of Marshall, MN, Mary (& Doug) Sawatzky of Willmar, MN, Tom (& Kristi) Richter of Volga, SD, Jim Richter of Clear Lake, MN, 30 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and siblings: Aggie Davidson, Chuck Richter, Pat O'Connor, Monsignor John Richter, Germaine Schaeffer and Kathleen Neubauer. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dory, parents, brothers ? Jerome and infant brother and sisters ? MaryAnn, Theresa, Margaret Schneider, Helen Schulte, and Barbara Baumann and his son-in-law, Bruce Haug.